Never Let Me Go
by xxphoenixfallenxx
Summary: When a mission leaves Bane stranded in the wilderness, the last thing he expects is to run into a runaway. Little does he know the effects this girl will have on him, or how it leads up to his decision in The Dark Knight Rises.
1. The Cave

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bane or any Batman related content. I only own character Kali Blake.**

The mission had gone smoothly, as predicted. The get-away had not been as successful. Scrambling from the wreck, Bane looked around. Trees as far as the eye could see. He looked above at the swelling gray clouds.  
"Good. The snow will cover my tracks." He murmured, and searched through the debris of the mangled car.  
He gathered supplies in a thin duffle bag and trampled through the messy woods. After some time, he came across high rising cliffs and searched. Finally, not too high above, he spotted what he was looking for. He quickly gathered materials for a fire, and climbed the jagged wall, ignoring the burn and eventual numbness in his fingers. He finally stepped into the cave and peered into the darkness. Home sweet home.

After exploring, he discovered the cave branched into many that went deep into the hill. He chose one, and set up his measly camp. There was a draft that blew into the cliff, and would carry the smoke away into the darkness, not giving away his position. Once the fire was going, he went back to the entrance of the cave. The snow was falling slowly, but would undoubtedly turn into the blizzard he was predicting. He knew little about this remote corner of Russia, only that a lot of scum and dirt lived here. Drugs, human trafficking, weapons. It was all here. He went back inside and sat by the fire. Before he knew it his eyes were closing and sleep took him.

A branch snapped. He awoke in an instant, knife in hand, expecting to be surrounded by enemies. He was startled to see a girl flat against the wall across from him, frustration clear in her expression. Then, she was running. He bolted after her, and she didn't get far before he grabbed her, twisted her around, and slammed her onto the floor. Gasping, she struggled as he held her down with one large boot. He held one hand firmly over her mouth, and moved to finish her with his knife. However, he began to notice something strange. This girl was extremely thin, with very little muscle. There were cuts and bruises all over her, and she was not dressed properly to be out in this climate, and hunting him no less. She couldn't be a scout, so who was she? She stared at him, and he saw nothing but fear in her green eyes.  
"Who are you?" He asked, and slowly removed his hand from her mouth.  
She did not answer. Instead, she tried biting him, and began to thrash again. He pressed down harder on her, and gripped her jaw tightly.  
"Who are you?" He repeated, threat clear in his voice.  
"Kali Blake." She replied, and confusion was full in her voice.  
"What are you doing here?" He asked.  
Now she seemed utterly bewildered. "You're not here to kill me?" She asked.  
He stared at her, not understanding what was going on at all. Why was this tiny little girl hiding in a cave?  
"No... But I will have to kill you, unfortunately. Can't risk you giving me away." He said simply, and moved again to kill her.  
Her eyes traveled past him, up to the entrance of the cave, to the only light there was. And in that moment, he was thrown back into the pit, back to the hell and darkness. And there was Talia, looking up towards the light. He cringed, and then sighed. Something made him pity her, and it disgusted him. Yet taking her life seemed meaningless now.  
"Why do you think I'm here to kill you?" He asked.  
"My friends and I were on vacation in India. We went to a bar, and there were these guys that gave us drinks. Next thing I know I wake up in the back of a van, tied up. I don't know where my friends went. I managed to get away from them after some time. If I go to the authorities, they'll all go to jail for the rest of their lives." She explained.  
"Why?" He questioned.  
"They were smugglers. They kidnap girls and sell them as sex slaves." She replied, and he could see some hidden horror in her eyes. That was unfortunate. Pity again reared its hideous self, and he kicked himself inside, but the words were already coming out.  
"There are people after me as well. So here's whats going to happen. You will not scream, you will not try to escape, or I'll kill you. The people after me will do much worse to you than you can ever imagine. Understand?" He questioned darkly.  
She nodded, and breathed deeply as he removed his weight from her. He went without another word back to the fire. She followed hesitantly, and sat as far from him as possible. She was wearing only a thin grey t-shirt and torn cloth shorts. No shoes, no jacket. Nothing. Nasty scrapes and bruises covered her thin legs, and arms and face as well. She'd been through some kind of hell. And even as she sat next to the fire, she trembled. Wordlessly, he threw a thin blanket from his pack at her. She flinched, and then stared at the blanket questioningly.  
"I don't know what you want from me, bit-" She began, angry.  
"All I want is silence." He growled at her.  
She stared at him for a moment, then her eyes moved to his mask with curiosity. She did not speak. She only pulled the blanket around herself, and closed her eyes.  
Bane already regretted his decision. He'd have to stay in this cave for some time, and now he was stuck with some girl.

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	2. Infectious

**Do not own Bane or TDKR or any Batman content. Kali Blake is mine.**

It wasn't long before the girl got up, and without a word headed deeper into the caves. Bane shot to his feet, and she spun, looking at him questioningly.  
"I can't go to the bathroom without you watching?" She asked sarcastically.  
He was caught off guard by that comment, but he didn't trust her to just wander off. What if it was a trick?  
"Why don't you show me around?" He asked.  
She sighed, and then started walking again. In a few minutes she'd shown him where 'the bathroom' was, along with dead end caves, ones that dropped off into darkness, and one that contained water. There were two pools, one smaller and higher than the other. She told him the smaller one she used for drinking, and the lower she had used for bathing and washing her bandages.  
"What bandages?" Bane questioned.  
She seemed uncomfortable under his stare, and more so by the question. After a moment, she lifted the side of her shirt. Bandages, made from torn cloth, were wrapped around much of her torso.  
"I had to break a window to get out, but I didn't think of all the broken glass when I jumped." She said quietly.  
A few of the cuts were exposed, and they were red around the edges, the first sign of infection.  
"How long have you been here?" He asked.  
"A few days, maybe four."  
He sighed slightly. Well, he knew where everything was now at least.  
"Now, if you don't mind, I need to pee." She said, crossing her arms and glaring at him.  
He groaned inside, and without another word headed back for the fire. As far as he knew, the entrance to the cave was the only way in or out, and she couldn't sneak past him.

She returned, and not long after that fell asleep curled up tight under the blanket. He watched her for a short time, wondering how someone as tiny and frail as her had climbed all the way up into this cave. How did she plan on getting home? She was definitely American. He began to wonder what this girl had been through. _That _was not something he'd never had to face in the pit. The men had left him alone, even though he wasn't nearly as strong then as he was now. The pit brought back memories of Talia. Of the brutal attack he'd faced for helping her escape. He remembered how he'd openly welcomed death, and then an angel fell from above and rescued him. They'd given him the mask. Talia's father trained him, made him stronger than he'd ever hoped to be. The pain he'd felt when he was banished, and how Talia had not tried to convince her father to let him stay. He had only heard from her twice since then. The first was when her father had died. She hoped he would come back, be by her side again. "Old friend" she'd called him. The second was that she knew who had killed her father, and that she had a plan. She would need his help, but not for some time. There were many steps, many things that needed to be done first. He missed that devilish smile she had when she was being mischievous...

Bane awoke to the clatter of metal. Again he was on his feet, ready for the attack, ready for anything. The girl stood frozen a few feet from him, holding two old canteens in her hand. Slowly, she continued moving to her spot and sat down, eyes never leaving his.  
"I found these. Some hikers must have left them. I brought some water." She said carefully.  
After a moment he sat back down, groaning as his tensed muscles stretched. This girl was far too sketchy for him. How had she snuck off without awaking him? How long had she been moving around while he slept? He hadn't even realized he had dozed off. She pushed one towards him wordlessly, and took a few sips from her own. He noticed there was a reddish tinge to her skin, and wondered just how bad some of her wounds were. Fever meant the infection had reached the blood, and without medical attention, she could very likely die. He paused, wondering why the hell he cared if she lived or died. Maybe she reminded him of Talia far too much. He cursed how soft he was towards this stranger.

"Let me see your wounds." He said, startling her.  
She eyed him cautiously. She took a moment, and then slowly moved towards him. She pulled the back of the shirt up to her shoulders, revealing the strips that crossed over much of her back. She carefully took the strips off, and he cringed at what lie underneath. Deep cuts covered her in every direction. All had red raised skin around them, and were undoubtedly infected. There were some on her ribs as well, but she assured him they didn't go any higher than that.  
"You need to clean these out again, and wash these bandages. If these get any more infected you'll be dead by the end of the week." He stated simply.  
She nodded, and without another word took a branch from the fire, a few smaller sticks, and the blanket, and headed down into the darkness. He sighed, relieved he'd have some time away from her. He carefully removed his mask. It was always uncomfortable when the thin, short needles pulled from his gums. Half the canisters on the mask held pure oxygen filters to help him breath. The others had the needles connected to them, and were filled with a potent form of Novocaine, which was injected into his gums at certain intervals. All his teeth had been shattered, and left his mangled nerves exposed and in constant agony. His lips had been battered and torn, at one point a tear went from his lip to his chin. He ran his scarred tongue over his dry lips, and then carefully drank the icy water. He reached into his pack and found the few pouches of food he had made for the mission. He could only eat food that had been turned into smoothie form, and some things were never meant to be smoothies. He cringed as he swallowed the contents of one, some protein veggie mixture. He drank more water, and then carefully put the mask back on, wincing as the needles sunk back in. In the distance, he heard splashing, and an involuntary image of the girl naked flashed through his mind.

He'd been with three women before he'd been tossed into the pit. The first two he could not remember, but the third... the third was the reason he'd been sent to hell. He cursed that mistake even now. Not long after, Kali returned wrapped tightly in only the blanket. She carefully spread her clothes and the bandages out on the rock beside the fire to dry. She then sat down again, careful not to meet his gaze. A sex slave... He sighed in disgust at the creatures that roamed this world. He wanted to explore more, and with her clothing wet she wouldn't be running away any time soon. He got up, and saw her flinch and move away from him. She held the blanket tightly around herself.  
"Child... you do not need to fear me. You've been through enough." He said softly.  
She looked at him then, eyes hollow and full of sadness. Without another word, he walked away into the darkness.

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	3. Softy

**I do not own Bane or anything TDKR related. I do own Kali Blake.**

After some time exploring the caves, Bane decided to head back. However, when he returned the girl was not by the fire, though her clothes were. He moved cautiously out towards the entrance of the cave. She sat near the edge, curled up tight in the blanket, looking out over the forest. It had stopped snowing, and the moon was somewhere behind them, casting its light over everything.  
"Sorry I wandered off. I just wanted some fresh air." She said without looking at him.  
He looked out upon the landscape and sighed quietly. There was only a very slight breeze. It felt good against his face.  
"It is quite beautiful." He said quietly.  
She nodded. Her eyes traveled slowly around, and it was only then that he noticed she'd been crying. Curiosity got the better of him.  
"Where are you from?" He asked.  
"Callicoon. It's in New York, but not the city. It's way out in the country, by the Delaware. Just nice, quiet country." She replied, a small smile forming on her lips.  
"Is anyone waiting for you?" He asked before he could stop himself.  
She was quiet for a long time. Then, "No. My parents died when I was very young. I lived in an orphanage for most of my life. Then they just gave me some money and kicked me out when I turned 18. I was helping an old woman, a widow, around her farm. In return I got to live in her guest house. All I have is my dog. He's probably miserable right now." She said.  
He sat down, giving her space of course, and hung his legs over the edge. They were quiet for a while.  
"I don't even know your name." She stated quietly, looking over at him.  
He sighed. Was there any harm in telling her? Yes. She could give him away, she could be a threat. _She could hurt you. _His conscious hissed at him. He ignored that sneering voice.  
"Bane." He said quietly.  
"Bane." She replied, and he found he liked the way she said his name. Not in terror, not calling him like a dog. It was more... friendly?  
Not long after she shuddered, and got up. She took a few steps and paused.  
"Who are _you _hiding from?" She questioned.  
"Just some dangerous people that I angered, that's all." He replied quickly.  
She waited a moment, then walked back to the fire. Bane sighed heavily. Who was he hiding from? He did not _hide. _And yet there was the voice again. _EVERYONE._

Bane came back to the fire to find Kali shaking the clothing and bandages, and flipping them to dry on both sides. Her wounds looked slightly better, but the feverish redness was still there. She drank a few heavy gulps of water, and sat back against the wall. She was looking at him, trying not to make it obvious. She was looking at the mask again, curiosity in her eyes. He could tell she wanted to ask, though he wished she wouldn't. It was a reminder, always, that he'd lived in hell, had suffered dearly, for a girl who loved him as an "old friend". That term dug into him deeply, right down to his rotted soul. Was that all he was, after everything they'd endured together? He sighed, again, louder then he'd meant, and it caught her attention. Yet she did not speak. He was grateful for the silence, yet talking made him less on edge. Trivial things amused him that way. Yet as he tried to think of something to say, he noticed something strange as the girl stretched her arms over her head. It sent a chill down his spine as he realized what it was. How had he not noticed it before?  
He lunged to his feet, and the fear and dread in her eyes as he approached cut into him. He stopped, and slowly crouched down to her level as she clutched the blanket around herself. But now he saw something else too. She was not just afraid of him, but she was also ready to fight him with everything she had. That would explain the restraint marks on her ankles and wrists, and around her mouth where they must've tied a rag to keep her quiet. But that did not concern him so much as the mark he'd seen on her arm.  
"I promise you, _that _is the last thing on my mind. I'd like to look at that wound on your arm though." He said gently, holding a hand out to her.  
It took a few long moments, where her eyes darted from his face to his outstretched hand. Then, shaking slightly, she moved towards him, placing her wrist in his hand. He carefully turned her arm over, and cursed slightly. It was a nasty puncture wound, and was already swollen with puss.  
"How'd you get this?" He asked.  
Before she could answer he had taken out his knife and cut through the swollen skin. She groaned and looked away, but did not pull away from him. He carefully made a few more cuts, and put pressure around it until it was thoroughly drained. He grabbed his canteen and poured water over it carefully. This would kill her much sooner if it was not tended to.  
"They had nailed the windows shut. I was trying to open it when they caught me, so I just broke it and jumped, but one of the loose nails caught me." She explained quietly, pain clear in her voice.  
He went over and checked each bandage, picking the most dry one. He carefully wrapped the wound, and tied it tightly.  
"That's bad isn't it?" She asked him and he finished the knot.  
"Quite. I wish you'd told me about that earlier." He responded.  
She made a face, and he nearly laughed. It was like the face a dog made when it was being scolded. He paused, and then moved away from her, sitting back down in his own spot. This girl was making him soft, and he didn't like it at all. She seemed to notice his irritation, and spoke no more. She checked her clothing after a while, and deeming it dry, disappeared for a short while and came back clothed and bandaged. She then curled back up under the blanket, facing away from him, and soon was asleep.

_"All he does is remind me of that hell he came from. Where you lived, where your mother died. I don't want to look at him anymore." A voice snarled.  
Talia stood there quietly, listening to her father carry on. She bit her lip, a sign she wanted to speak but knew better. Bane watched from the shadows.  
"He saved my life, father. Without him, things worse than you can imagine would have happened to me." She spoke quietly.  
"Have I not repayed him greatly?!" He roared back at her. "I rescued him from that hole, gave him the mask, trained him. Is that not enough?!"  
Talia stared at him, fighting the urge to scream back at him.  
"He will leave willingly, or by force. Either way, he is excommunicated from the League of Shadows, from my house, and from you." Her father said sharply.  
Bane watched her, waiting for her to respond. Anything... Yet she remained silent as he stormed away. She sighed, and then left herself. No remorse. No defense. Bane remained frozen for some time, before he got his things and left before they came to throw him out. He had that much dignity anyways. He never looked back, only felt the hollow hole in his chest where he imagined his heart would be. It was cold outside.  
_

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	4. Exodus

**Do not own Batman, Bane, etc. I do own character Kali Blake.  
A quick note. I feel silly not posting this sooner. As some of you hae figured out, this is my own twist on Bane's story, so I apologize for any confusion. Thank you everyone for the reviews!**

Bane awoke to a strange sound, a whining moan that sent a chill down his spine. He looked over to Kali, to find her trembling slightly. Random violent twitches shook her body. Whimpers and moans escaped her lips as she would flinch and struggle against some unseen thing.  
"Kali... Kali!" Bane hissed, but she only groaned louder.  
He got up and moved to wake her, but suddenly she let out a scream, shrill and terrifying, tearing at the silence and echoing throughout the caves. That was not good. Bane grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her roughly, trying to silence her. Her eyes flew open as a fist came up, smashing into the side of his face. She continued only a second further to struggle against him before she froze, staring at him.  
"I'm sorry." She murmured, breathing hard.  
He let go of her and quickly moved to the entrance of the cave. Night was just ending. He looked over the woods, watching for movement, for any sign that her screams had attracted those searching for him. She came up beside him quietly, and he could hear her heart pounding with fear.  
"We need to leave. You need medical attention and I don't care for this place." Bane stated, and went back inside.

The girl stood at the edge of the cave, looking down the rock wall uncertainly. The sun was just beginning to rise, a faint golden glow touching everything. Bane wondered how she made it up here, and how one Earth she was going to get down. He knew what the only safe option was, so he gave her his pack, which now held the two canteens full of water.  
He carefully moved over the ledge, getting a good grip on the frozen rock. She climbed down beside him, and then reluctantly got onto his back. She'd tried arguing with him about it earlier, to which he had responded he would throw her down if he had to. She clung carefully to him, but she was so light he barely felt a difference. Swiftly he climbed down, and they walked back to where the crash had been, Bane searching for enemies the whole time. There, he found the car had been covered in snow, along with all signs of the crash, and it had not been discovered. Hiding in a cave all this time for nothing. He easily stripped the body of the driver, and handed the clothes to Kali. She looked at them with a mix of disgust and disbelief.  
"You have to put them on to blend in, or we won't make it very far." Bane stated.  
The clothes were big enough that they fit over the ones she already wore, and she happily put the shoes on the cover her battered feet. They climbed up the embankment onto the road, and didn't travel far before a large truck came their way. Bane had pulled up the collar of his coat, and tied a scrap of cloth around his face to hide the mask. The driver stopped and babbled at them in Russian. Bane tried, but Russian was difficult for him, mostly due to the mask. The driver became frustrated and motioned quickly for them to get in. They rode to the nearest town, and rented a room at a small, sketchy looking hotel.

Bane insisted Kali shower and again try to clean her wounds as much as possible, and while she was doing so he quickly removed the mask, and drank and ate until he heard the water turn off. He quickly put it back on, and soon after she was out, and seemed much happier.  
"I will never take a shower for granted again." She said, and dropped onto the bed with a sigh.  
Bane looked over the pamphlets left in the room, and wrote down the locations of the bank, of a clothing shop, and a traveling agent to get them out of Russia fast. He then took his own shower. He had never liked warm showers, after becoming so used to the icy water they had used in the pit, yet he felt a coldness come over him and turned the water to hot. After, they walked to the bank, where he took out a large sum of cash from his private account. They bought enough clothes for three days of travel, and then went to the travel agency. They would leave that night, and he could send the girl home and out of his life. He felt nerve wracked from being stuck with her, even if it had been only a few days. As they walked back towards the hotel, they passed a bakery and he heard Kali's stomach growl viciously, even though she was a few feet from him. He felt selfish for realizing she probably hadn't had anything to eat in over a week, while he had his tiny pouches. He motioned for her to go in and pick something, handing her some cash.  
"Thank you." She said with a grateful smile.  
As he stood waiting, he realized some part of him enjoyed making her smile. He cringed. This girl was growing on him, and the longer she was around the worse it would get. She came out with a paper bag, and once back at the hotel she pulled out two bagels, some small danishes, and two bottles of chocolate milk. She separated them into two parts on the small coffee table, and then quickly devoured hers. She looked up at him halfway through her bagel, and raised an eyebrow.  
"Aren't you going to eat?" She asked.  
He nearly laughed. "No, I'm not. I don't eat stuff like that."  
Her eyes went down to his mask a moment, and then back to the rest of her bagel, which she finished quickly.  
"Is it because your mask doesn't come off?" She asked curiously.  
He blinked, not expecting her to ever question the mask.  
"It comes off. I just don't eat those kinds of things."  
She looked at him then, clear that she wanted to know more, but she did not ask. Instead, she cleaned up the crumbs she left, put the other half of the food back in the paper bag, and took her bag of clothes into the bathroom to change. Just a few more hours, and they would be in the United States, and she would be gone.

_You'll miss her._

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	5. Stolen

**Hey guys, sorry it took so long to update. My laptop has been down. Hope you enjoy!  
Do not own bane or any Batman related content, Kali Blake is mine.**

Kali had been babbling about her dog for the past half hour. She explained in great detail which paw he gave when she asked him to shake, which way he tilted his head, how he didn't lift his leg like most male dogs do when they pee. He nearly rolled his eyes at her, amused by how she was so fascinated by a dog. Finally, however, he could take the subject no more. He asked her what she did for the old woman she worked for on the farm. She listed her chores methodically, giving him details in that as well. How could she be so enthused by such an ordinary, mundane life? She rarely left the house. She informed him she had finished high school and wanted to go to college but she'd never be able to afford it.

The more she talked, the more he had to force himself not to smile. Such a normal life, with all its simple joys. If only he'd ever had a life like that. Suddenly, to his dislike, she asked him where he was from and what he did for a living.  
"I travel far too much to have a home. I do all kinds of jobs, whatever someone needs me for." He answered blankly.  
She didn't like the answer, but she didn't ask anymore. Without a word he grabbed his own new clothes to change into.

Kali flicked through all the channels on the TV three times before groaning, dropping the remote onto the bed.  
"There's nothing to watch. All Russian." She complained. She flopped onto the bed with a grunt.  
Bane tried to ignore her frustrated complaints, but after 20 minutes he was ready to knock her out.

"Here." He grunted, thrusting some money at her. She stared at it questioningly. "They have movie rentals in the main office. Go." He said bluntly. She took the money cautiously, and then smiled.  
"Hopefully they have something in English, or at least subtitles." She said, and pulling her new coat on, left. Bane sighed with relief. Two more hours and they would be on a private plane heading back to the US, and he'd be free. _You're never free. _The sneering voice echoed. Bane scowled. He had freedom, did he not? He could choose what jobs he took, where he went, how much he was paid. He went wherever he wanted, did whatever he wanted. _You've made a friend, you fool. In the oddest of places and circumstance. Now you're trapped. _It whispered chillingly to him. He sighed. There was nothing, no future between him and this girl. He was a killer for hire, and she was just a normal girl from the country in New York. _She's no ordinary girl!_

Bane waited and waited but fifteen minutes later she was not back. He'd heard women could be very indecisive, always over thinking things. He almost smiled imagining her standing before the shelves of movies, staring. He went down to the office, and was perplexed when he didn't find her there. The clerk at the desk was not present either. Bane scanned the area outside. Adrenaline shot through him like lightning. He shoved the door open and rushed to the side of the road. The dark grey jacket lay in the slush, one sleeve nearly torn off. Some of Kali's black hair was stuck to it, more than likely torn from her head. Someone took her. A dark coldness filled him. "They found her." He breathed.  
_

Kali screamed against the gag they had tied far too tightly. She could feel the dirty rag chafing the corners of her mouth, could taste blood where she'd been punched. Her hands were tied behind her back, feet forced together by zip ties. She struggled against her restraints as the van rumbled over rough terrain. She knew they were close, she remembered how rough the road had been when they first brought her here. To Hell. It was not long before the van stopped, and the door slid open forcefully. One of the men grabbed her by her hair, yanking her upright. He and another grabbed her arms, dragging her out of the van and towards the cold rundown cement building. A high wall surrounded it, covered in razor wire. Three armed men guarded the only entrance. And there, he was waiting for her. The leader. They dropped her on my knees before him, and she glared.

"Well, look who came back. Dressed up all nice, I see. What, did you find a nice pimp somewhere to take care of you? Too bad for him." He spoke, his Russian accent making his speech nearly impossible to understand. He yanked on the side of the rag, forcing her to look into his eyes.  
"We're going to have lots of fun with you. And when we're done, my dogs will have their fun." He sneered, his cracked yellow teeth showing as he grinned.  
They all laughed, and the two grabbed her arms, dragging her inside. Death would not come soon enough.  
_

Bane forced his way into the office behind the front desk, where the clerk was busy with one of the maids. His fury was not containable. He grabbed the scum by the front of his shirt and tossed him across the room, where he landed in a heap and whimpered. The maid shrieked and fled. Bane grabbed the clerk again, and tossed him in front of the monitors to the security cameras.  
"Show me the video for the out front. About ten minutes ago. Now!" He snarled as the clerk struggled to pull his pants up.

He frantically tapped away at the keyboard, and one of the monitors rewound quickly. He saw what happened, and waited until the beginning. "Play it, slowly." He growled. The clerk a few more buttons and he watched.

Kali was standing in front of the desk, squinting to see the titles of some of the movies, when a van drove by slowly. Suddenly it was back, reversing quickly. Two men got out, looking at her and talking to each other. Then they came inside, slowly, sneaking up behind her. One grabbed her from behind while the other grabbed her flailing feet, and they drug her outside. She kicked the one in the groin, and bit the hand of the other, and took off running. A moment later they were back with her, hauling her by her jacket. She managed to unzip it and almost got away again, but the one caught her by her hair and flung her into the back, getting in behind her and slamming the door. He van sped away.

Bane shoved the clerk aside, and played the video a few times before he finally got what he needed. Ignoring the protests of the clerk, he opened the laptop sitting on the desk and opened the internet. In five minutes he had all the information on the van, using the license plate. A picture popped up. Tattoos, unkempt hair and clothing. This guy was definitely running something illegal. This was the man who took Kali. Bane quickly erased the history on the laptop, then turned a menacing glare on the clerk.

"Have a car?" He growled. The clerk reached a shaking hand into his pocket and held out keys.  
"Black car out back." He stuttered.  
Bane then punched him hard, knocking him out. Fury roared through his veins like fire and he shoved the back door open. Anger, fury, and he suddenly froze as he realized the inevitable. He cared about her, and he was afraid. He looked at the keys in his hand. She'd already been missing. Why not just leave her, go home, forget? _You'll never forget. Never forgive. _The voice hissed. And that was it. He was going to save her, even if he had to go to Hell and back to do it.

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	6. Rescue

**Do not own Bane or any Batman related content, just character Kali Blake. Enjoy!**

Bane cruised as quickly as he could over the snow covered roads. The address wasn't far. However, he was not surprised when he discovered the address lead to a broken down shack. This was common for sketchy characters. Luckily, however, Bane had resources. He had a list of addresses that linked to this one, and of the man who owned the van. Next address was another few miles away. He found the same. It was frustrating, knowing that horrible things were more than likely happening to her, and time was passing far too quickly. It'd been two hours. A wave of something washed over him. Nausea? He scowled.

Address after address lead to more rundown places, although now they became less and less run down as each address came and went. These people moved locations frequently. He only had five addresses left. He found himself driving more and more recklessly, faster and urgent with every address failure. What if they'd already killed her? No, he wouldn't think of that. And if they did? _Kill them all._

Two addresses. He turned onto the side road, which lead down a steep hill and twisted into the woods. The road was rough, and he wondered if there was even a building at the end of this road. Then, he saw the tracks in the mud. This road was used frequently. This had to be where she was. He pulled the car off the side of the road, and crept up along the hill. There was a building, and the van was parked to the side. It was surrounded by high concrete walls with razor wire around the top. Two guards stood at the only entrance, and two more patrolled the wall, each with a guard dog. Bane growled, irritated. He hated attack dogs. Suddenly, a bright blue car pulled out from the other side of the building. A man in a suit came walking out of the building, with two thugs behind him, dragging a girl who was blindfolded. It was not Kali.

The driver of the car hopped out, and opened the trunk of the car. The two thugs paused, and one held a cloth over the girls mouth. Chloroform. In a moment she was out, and they locked her in the trunk. The suit shook each of the thugs hands, then got in the backseat of the car. The car drove off. Right, sex trafficking. Bane quickly formed a plan. He wished he'd had more time to put everything into place, but there was no time. Kali could be dead already. Bane waited for the blue car to pass, then got back in the car. He sighed.

_  
Kali struggled to breath. They had thrown her into a room and beat her until she passed out. When she woke up, she was blindfolded and her clothes were gone, and she was tied to the bed, just like before. Terror filled her as she heard the voices. They were _betting. _Who would last the longest? She groaned. Her ribs had to be broken. She could barely breath. Suddenly a hand was on her leg, and she screamed. There were hands everywhere, and pain, and laughter. She screamed until she couldn't scream anymore. Then she let the darkness take her.  
_

Bane drove up the entrance of the building. The guards seemed alarmed, and aimed their guns as he cut the engine and slowly, carefully climbed out. They stared at his mask.  
"I was told I could buy a girl here." Bane stated as clearly as he could.  
They glanced at each other, muttering in Russian. Bane heard the word "boss", and then one of them was going inside. Bane waited, and a moment later the guard returned, a very irritated man following. He was the man in the picture. The boss looked him over, special attention on his mask.  
"I'm told you speak English?" He said roughly.  
Bane nodded.  
"And who informed you there were girls here?" He asked.  
"A business man in the hotel I'm staying in." Bane replied.  
The man eyed him for another moment.  
"Alright. We have very few girls left, business has been good. First, my men will search you." He stated, then walked inside.

Bane sat in a very sparse room that contained only a few chairs and a small table in the corner. The "boss" was collecting the girls to show to him. He knew Kali was here somewhere. He'd spotted another strand of her hair outside, more than likely yanked out. The door opened, and five girls walked slowly inside, eyes downcast, shaking. They were filthy. Bane pretended what interest he could, and stood, pacing before them. He walked behind them as well, not really paying attention. He cleared his throat, facing the boss.

"I have one minor request. You see, I like a good time as much as the next guy, but I also enjoy particular needs. I have a tendency to... be _too _rough with the girls, if you know what I mean." Bane said dryly.  
The boss smirked.  
"When you buy them, they're yours, to do with as you please." He said.  
"So you don't have any girls here you want dead?" Bane asked.  
The boss's smirk faded. Suspicion flashed in his eyes.  
"That's a very odd question. You think I'm holding off all the girls I have? Please. This is all I have. Take one or get the fuck out." He growled.  
That was it. Bane knew he wouldn't be able to get Kali freely. He sighed. So be it.

He slammed a fist into the side of the man's head, sending him crumbling to the ground. The girls screamed and scattered to the edges of the room, staring at him.  
"Get as far from here as you can. Go!" Bane hissed at them, and then went into the hallway.  
The guards had heard the screams, and they were coming fast. Alarmed voices came from upstairs as well. Bane stepped into a side room and closed the door, waiting. A group walked by, and as the last was about to pass, Bane yanked open the door and grabbed him, pulling him back inside. He snapped his neck silently, and took his machine gun. The stairs were directly across from him, and his instincts told him Kali was upstairs. He opened the door again, very slowly, and then twisted into the hall, and fired at the group of men gathered at the other end while moving towards the stairs. He rushed up them two at a time, firing behind him as he went.

In a few moments, the building was silent. All the guards were dead or too wounded to move. Bane began searching each of the upstairs rooms. He found a large room with a few filthy beds in it, all with handcuffs or some other restraint attached. There was a piece of plywood covering one of the windows. _This was where she escaped from. _He moved on to the next room, and froze in the doorway. She was handcuffed to the bed, hands and feet, and she was completely naked. She was covered in vicious bruises and lots of blood. And she wasn't moving. Bane quickly went to her side, and with ease snapped the handcuffs from the bed.

"Kali. Kali, wake up." He urged. She had a pulse, but it was weak. She groaned, very quietly, and that was enough for him.  
He pulled his knee length coat off and wrapped her in it, then carefully picked her up. He moved downstairs, wary of the guards that might still be alive. He put her in the backseat of the car, and then drove off quickly, like a madman. She needed a hospital, and she needed it now. Panic rose as the adrenaline wore off.

_Don't let her die. Let he be ok. Please, let her be ok._

**Reviews please!**_  
_


	7. Recover

**Do not own Bane or any Batman related content. Kali is mine. Enjoy!**

As the car slid precariously over the slushy road, Bane heard a gasp from the backseat. He glanced in the mirror and saw Kali clutching her sides, face screwed tight with pain.  
"Bane." She whimpered.  
"We're going to the hospital. Hold on." Bane urged.  
She nodded, slightly, then groaned and passed out again.  
"Just a little further. Just hold on." Bane said to himself desperately. Please let her be ok. Please.

Bane sat on the edge of the plastic chair, hands clasped tightly together. Every muscle was tense. The waiting was killing him. The waiting room was exceptionally bland, with all white walls and ceiling. A few rust-theme colored oil paintings of various collection of fruit covered the hideous white. A small TV hung from the ceiling in a corner, but it was black and white, and in Russian. There were a few magazines, outdated and heavily used, but all Russian, again. He really needed to learn the damn language. A nurse walked by, and he looked up expectantly, but she kept walking, pointedly not meeting his gaze.

When they got to the hospital, she was taken from him, leaving his bare arms and hands blood-soaked. Everyone had panicked. They had quickly gotten her onto a bed and wheeled her away, but they wouldn't let him go with her. They had even tried to force him to leave, threatening to call the police. Screams suddenly started down the hall, and he shoved his way past them, to find two doctors trying to hold her down as she fought them. She instantly stilled when she saw him.

"Where am I? What happened?" She gasped, clearly in excruciating pain.  
"You're in the hospital. You're safe now." Bane said quietly.

She had calmed after that. They quickly ran through the tests, and she needed surgery to fix her ribs, one of which was less than a centimeter from puncturing her lung, and for her fractured left femur. She also had a concussion. Bane sighed, leaning back in the chair. It had already been two hours. Finally a nurse came up to him.

"She's out of surgery. Everything went well." She stated.  
She left without another word. Didn't even bother to tell him when he could see her. He scowled. At least the girl was alright. Wasn't she? Her mental state was what worried him. When he first met her, she was already damaged. He remembered every single time he moved she would flinch. Now what would she be like? She'd seemed relieved to see him, but why? Then he began to realize the situation carried multiple complications. She had no one back home, just the old farm widow. The old woman was less than likely to take care of her. She would undoubtedly need many months of care. She couldn't care for her beloved dog. Couldn't work. Would the old woman let her stay? How could she afford the physical, and probably mental, therapies she needed? Bane sighed heavily, dropping his face into his hands. He was stuck. Stuck with her. _You really wanna be this girl's nanny?_

Finally, he had enough and grabbed one of the nurses, demanding he be able to see Kali immediately. He was led to a small room, where a curtain was slightly drawn and a nurse was standing, looking at a chart. She glanced up at him, then quickly back down at the chart.  
"She needs to rest, so don't keep her awake. She'll need to stay here a few days before she can be transported to any other hospital." The nurse reported, and then swiftly left.

Bane quietly sat in the chair beside the bed. She looked awful. A few places on her face had stitches, and both eyes were swollen nearly shut. There were bruises everywhere. Her left leg was in a light blue cast. She was tough, he gave her that. A machine beeped steadily beside her, and the IV bag dripped steadily. Bane reached forward, about to place his hand over hers, but he stopped. He had to let her sleep. He sighed. She would likely sleep for the rest of the day, there was little point in him sitting here. He had to start arranging things, to get her back to the US and everything that would follow.

He got up quietly, and just as he turned he heard a raspy breath.  
"Bane?" She called quietly.  
He turned back and sat down again. Her eyes were barely open, and he could tell she was fighting off the lingering anesthesia.  
"You're in the hospital. They had to do a little surgery, but you're fine." He said quietly.  
She licked her lips and shifted slightly, trying to get more comfortable.  
"Are we still in Russia?" She asked, looking at him.  
Her green eyes seemed faded, glassy. She looked so tired. So... empty. Bane knew that look. She was broken, and it stabbed into his soul.  
"Yes, but just for a few more days, until we can move you. Then we'll be back in the US." He replied.  
"I can't afford any of this. I don't even have insurance." She mumbled, closing her eyes. "I won't have anywhere to live. I won't be able to take care of Harley."  
"Kali. Don't worry about anything. I'll find somewhere for you to stay. A good hospital, a good therapy place. I'll even get your dog. Don't worry, I'll take care of everything." Bane assured. Anything to bring back some light in her eyes. Instead, he saw suspicion.

"Why are you doing all this for me? You could have left me. You could have left me here. Why?" She asked.  
"Please, don't stress yourself. You need rest. We can talk about this later." Bane urged, feeling uncomfortable now. The honest truth? He just couldn't bring himself to leave her, couldn't stand to see her suffer. It was far too late to back out now.  
"I want to know." She said firmly, and he knew she would not let it go.  
"I have more money than I know what to do with. I'd rather use it to help someone than let it gather dust in a vault somewhere." He stated blankly.  
She eyed him angrily, knowing he wasn't telling her everything. But then she seemed too exhausted to question him further.  
"I'm going to stay in a hotel room for the night. I'll be back tomorrow, and I'll let you know everything. Just get some rest." Bane said firmly to her.  
"You don't have to tell me twice. See you tomorrow." She said quietly. Then she was out again.

Bane carefully swished lukewarm water around his mouth. He was down to his last pouch. He'd need to make more tomorrow. He glanced up into the mirror of the bathroom, and grimaced. He was hideous. _She's right, you know. You could have just left her at the hospital. She would have gotten home eventually. She's not your responsibility. _Bane sighed heavily. He could just leave. Take care of all her expenses, arrange everything, and then leave before it was too late. _Too late for what? You're already attached. And you know she'll be hurt if you just leave. You're trapped. Fool._

Well, it's not like he had any jobs arranged for a while. Who knew when Talia would get into contact with him again, to tell him what she had planned. Fine then, he'd be stuck with her. He'd take care of her. He needed something better to do than sulk around his boring apartment anyways. Fine. A few internet searches and a few phone calls later, he had everything perfectly arranged. He'd found a house for sale not far from where she lived, so it would not be difficult retrieved her dog, or her things. There was a hospital an easy drive away, and a physical therapy center was located right next to the hospital. The house was in a very private area, with lots of land for the dog. As soon as the doctors gave the ok, or when Bane decided it was time, Kali would be on a private jet with him to go back home. From there, he had no idea what he was going to do, but as long as she needed help, he'd be there. _What the hell has this girl done to you?_

**Reviews please!**


	8. A House!

**Do not own Bane or any TDK related content. Kali Blake is mine.  
****Enjoy!**

Kali was sitting up in bed, an extremely bored expression on her face, stirring at the bland looking oatmeal in front of her. She looked up at him and her expression brightened instantly. He liked that. He sat down beside her, and she sat back against her pillows, wincing slightly from her ribs.

"So, how many colors are on my face right now?" She asked, cracking a smile. She was in a much better mood.  
"I'm seeing three. Purple, blue, and yellow." He replied humorously.

She laughed a little, then took a few heavy sips from a cup of water beside her.  
"They told me I can't leave for a few days. I feel fine, I want to leave now." She said grumpily. "I'm so bored!"  
"How about two more days? Can you last that long?" Bane questioned.  
She groaned. "I suppose. But I need something to do. Is there anything English around here? All they have is this depressing Russia crap."  
"I'll see if I can find some magazines and books for you." Bane said, about to get up.

"So what exactly do you have planned for me?" She questioned, catching him by the wrist.  
He sighed and sat back down, crossing his arms.  
"I'm taking you home. I already had some acquaintances of mine collect your things, and your dog, and brought them to the house. And I even found someone to work for the widow, so you don't have to worry about that. The house is not far from the hospital. Someone is looking after the dog until we get there." Bane said matter-of-factually.

She nodded, then paused, and her eyes widened as her mouth dropped.  
"House? What house?" She asked apprehensively.  
Bane was not sure he liked this reaction from her. It was definitely shock, and horror. _She doesn't want you living with her. _The thought stung for a second, but Bane didn't know why. He pushed the thought and feeling away.  
"You did not seriously buy me a house, did you?" She asked, demanding a response.

"I told you, more money than I know what to do with. You need your own house, plus it's much closer to the hospital."  
"You bought me a house?!" She burst out. He couldn't tell if she was angry, but she seemed quite flustered. "I can't believe this! You just go and buy a house, just like that? Then you have some strangers go into my things, take responsibility for Harley?! What-" She suddenly cut short, clutching at her side.  
"Would you calm yourself? The more you work yourself up the longer you'll be stuck here." Bane said firmly.  
She glared at him, and sipped from her cup again.  
"Bought me a damn house." She growled at him.

Bane smirked as he searched the nearby shops for things to entertain the girl. He'd already picked up a mass amount of magazines, which he hoped she liked. He also grabbed two books, and collected her clothes from the other hotel room. She'd probably need them soon. He also picked up a few candy bars, since hospital food seemed to disgust her. He then purchased a blender and an array of foods to make more of his pouches. He then went back to the hospital, where Kali was taking a nap.

She awoke when he came into the room, and smiled sleepily at him. Then she eyed the bags he was holding expectantly, and he nearly smiled. He handed her the bag, and she carefully unloaded it, organizing it in some fashion.  
"Yes!" She burst out when she discovered the candy bars. She quickly ate one, then put them back in the bag.  
Then she gasped when she pulled out the one book. She turned it over, almost cautiously, then back to the cover.  
"This is my favorite book." She said quietly, almost tenderly holding the battered thing.  
_Life of Pi. _He'd seen it a few times, but he had only grabbed it merely because the cover was colorful and looked amusing. She opened it and began reading immediately.  
"I'm going to get some food. I'll be back." Bane said quietly.  
She nodded, smiling up at him.  
"Thank you Bane." She said gratefully, then was back in the book.  
He turned, smiled so she wouldn't see, and left.

Back at the hotel, Bane made twenty pouches of various meals, and made one last one and ate it straight from the blender. He hadn't even realized how hungry he had been. He took a brief shower, and as he passed the mirror he paused. Something was different. He stared at himself, trying to place it. He traced a finger down the scar that ran from his lip to his chin repeatedly, in thought, as he stared. Then he met his own eyes and froze. There it was. The cold wall he'd always met in his expression seemed melted, softened. His eyes were lighter than their usual black, a nearly detectable brown shade in them. He wondered what it would feel like to have Kali touch him. _No! What the hell is wrong with you?! _The voice screamed at him, and he stiffened. He was disgusting. What on earth would a girl like her want with him? _Old friend._ The voice sneered.

Bane talked with Kali's doctor. He informed Bane that Kali was doing exceptionally well, and would be able to leave in the morning after a final check up. He went back to the room to inform her, but she was out cold with the book open in her lap. He carefully slid the book out from under her hands, folding the corner to mark the page. He then carefully lowered the bed so she was lying down, and sat down beside her. Curiosity got the better of him, and he opened the book to where she left off, and then began to read.

"Bane?" A sleepy voice called.  
Bane looked up from the book, and saw Kali blinking slowly at him, rising from her drowsy state.  
"Good news. The doctors say we can leave tomorrow morning after a check up." Bane said, marking the page and putting it aside.  
"Thank God. I'm already sick of this place." She said happily.

They talked on and off for a few more hours, before the nurse came to order him to leave. It was time for more painkillers for Kali anyways, and she would be asleep soon. Bane got up, feeling slightly sore from sitting in the chair for so long. The nurse gave Kali her medicine, and then left, giving him one last warning look.  
"I'll be here first thing in the morning. Get some sleep." Bane ordered firmly.  
"Wait. Take the book with you and finish reading it." She said, holding the book out to him. "I'll read it when we get on the plane."  
Bane took the book, and she smiled brightly at him before settling back. She was already drowsy.  
"Night Kali." Bane said softly.  
"Night... Bane." She said slowly, then was asleep.

_"Bane! Bane! Help!" The tiny voice yelled.  
Bane started awake, hearing a clamor of voices and sounds. Talia was shaking his arm furiously, terrified.  
"What's wrong?" He asked, jumping to his feet.  
"They're coming to kill me. They found out who I am." She said, sobbing slightly.  
Every nerve screamed to life.  
"You have to climb, Talia. You have to get out." Bane said to her, and then they were running for the top of the stairs.  
Bane lifted her over the ledge, and began to fight off the mob of men who wanted to kill his Talia. She would make it, he knew she would. She looked down at him, terrified. He would die for her.  
"Goodbye." He breathed to her as the men outnumbered and overpowered him. "I love you." He thought as he prepared to die._

__**Reviews please!**


	9. Home

**Hello me lovies! Thank you all for the reads, the follows, the favorites, and the reviews. I adore you! Anywho, I'm trying to make the chapters longer (most have been 1300 words or less :/) so you have more to sink your fangs into. Enjoy!  
Do not own Bane or any TDK related stuffs, Kali Blake is mine.**

Kali had highly protested using a wheelchair to get out of the hospital, and onto the private jet. She sulked on both brief trips, arms crossed, not speaking a word. She looked almost adorable with that pout. Bane shook his head quickly. Ugh, what kind of thought was that?! Now she sipped absently at a glass of orange juice while devouring her precious book, which Bane had finished just an hour before going to the hospital to get her.

"Well? Did you like it?" She had demanded when he had returned the book to her.  
"Um... yes. I did enjoy it." Bane had replied.  
"So do you like the tiger part or the human part better?" She questioned.  
He thought about his answer for a moment. "I think I like both parts equally, although the tiger part has much more to it."  
She had smiled, nodding. "Me too."

It was going to be a long trip home. Bane had not slept much the night before in anticipation of this. He tilted his seat back and closed his eyes. However, not very long later it seemed, someone softly placed a hand on his forearm. His eyes flung open, and he was greeted by Kali's big green eyes as she leaned across the aisle.  
"There's some turbulence coming up, put your seat belt on." She said quietly.

She eased herself back into her own seat, wincing a few times at the discomfort it caused her, and secured her own belt. She did not look as calm as her voice was. Was she nervous? Bane put his own belt on, brow furrowed. He had spoken to the captain of the jet before take off, and had been told there would be no conflicts with the flight whatsoever. Bane did not like unexpected events such as this, and scowled. Suddenly, the jet lurched. Kali gasped, clutching at her ribs with one hand while gripping the arm rest with the other.

At first, it seemed that bump would be the only one, until suddenly the jet lurched again, banging loudly. It was followed by rippling bumps, and suddenly the jet dipped harshly. Kali cried out, bracing herself in her seat. She looked over at him, terror in her eyes. And suddenly he had reached across and had her hand in his grip, and as the jet continued to dive and bump, she gripped his hand tightly. Then suddenly it was over. The jet evened out and everything was utterly quiet, except for Kali's deep frantic breaths. Slowly, Bane released his grip on her, and she smiled shyly at him. Extremely furious, Bane unbuckled and stormed up to the pilots cabin.

Kali sipped again at her cup of orange juice, groaning as pains shot up like tiny electric currents through her ribs. One more hour, and she could take more pain relievers. She was more than halfway through the book, but after the lovely plane disturbance she found she couldn't focus. _It would be nice if they played a movie or something. _She thought, sighing. Bane came back from presumably yelling at the pilot and sat heavily in his seat, crossing his arms. Sulking? Kali smiled to herself slightly. Yet confusion kept rearing its obnoxious head. _Why the hell does he want to help me? Just days ago he was going to kill me. He bought me a damn house!_

She glanced over at him curiously, and found his eyes closed again. This man... he had rescued her, saved her from freezing to death, and now bought her a house and paid for everything. She'd only known him for about a week. Yet a part of her didn't want to know, only cared that he stick around. She sighed heavily and angled her seat back, trying to get back into her book. But then the flight attendant was there, offering her headphones.

"Movie?" She asked quietly.  
"Yes please." Kali answered, grateful for a distraction.

A car was waiting at the airport when they finally arrived. Kali was exhausted, and extremely drowsy from the pin killers she had recently taken. Bane shook his head when the flight staff offered to bring in the wheelchair. He gently lifted a sleeping Kali from her seat, and carried her, ignoring the stares, through the airport to the car. She woke up for a short part of the trip, but then was asleep again. The lights were all on in the house when they arrived. As the car pulled up, the front door open and a man stepped outside. Bane recognized Barsad, and as he carried Kali to the door, something suddenly rushed out towards them. The dog, Harley, barked enthusiastically, jumping up in an attempt to lick Kali in any spot possible. Bane lifted her higher, and Barsad quickly retrieved the dog.

Barsad wordlessly led Bane to a bedroom, where he carefully placed her on the bed and removed her coat and socks and shoes, then got her under the blankets and let her rest. The dog sat just outside the door when Bane closed it, and looked up at him sadly.  
"Not tonight." Bane said sternly.

In the living room, which was fully furnished, Barsad sat on the couch. He looked tired for some reason. Bane sat in an armchair off to the side and sighed heavily, running a hand over the upper half of his face and over his head.  
"Everything is in order?" Bane asked quietly.  
"Of course. House is paid off, a new worker has been stationed in the girl's place, all of her things have been moved here, and some of your things as well." Barsad answered quickly.  
"Good, good. Have any job offers come up while I was away?" Bane asked.  
"None. No calls or messages either."  
"Very well. Stay until the morning and you may head out."  
"I'll take the guest room then? Your room is next to the girls."

Without another word Barsad climbed the stairs to the small upper floor, and in a moment all was silent. Bane was not interested in sleep. He'd had more than enough of it on the plane. He grabbed the remote for the television and turned on one of the many news channels, and sat back. Harley came up to him cautiously, sniffing at him without coming too close. The dog had long black hair, and brown markings on his lower jaw, cheeks, and brows. There was a white patch on his chest, and his flopping ears were tipped in white. He was an odd looking thing. _Probably thinks the same about you._

After a while the dog settled on his bed in the corner, huffed at him once, and then went to sleep. _So, you're here. Now what? A nanny, how sad. _The voice sneered at him. His conscience was being quite obnoxious as of late, yet it always had a point. This was absolutely the opposite of him. In most cases he would have killed the girl right from the start. Next, he would have gotten her to the hotel and left from there. He most certainly would not go into a building, killing everyone there, to rescue her from certain death. And he would never end up staying in a house with her, caring for her. What the hell happened to him?

Kali awoke with a start. Last she remembered she was in a car with Bane, heading "home" wherever that was. Now she was staring up at a ceiling in the dim light. She sat up slowly, cringing as her ribs ached. It was very irritating, not being able to move her leg either. She noticed crutches leaning on the wall beside the bed. The room was large with a soft champagne colored carpet that looked very soft and plush. The walls were a vibrant teal/turquoise, and at there were three doors, all painted a soft grey. Slowly, Kali got out of bed and used the crutches to cross the room to one of the doors. he carpet was very fluffy under her bare feet.

The door in the corner led to a large bathroom, with a tub in one corner and a shower stall with frosted glass in the other. The door next to it was a roomy walk in closet, with full length mirrors at either end. Kali walked out of the room, and down a short hallway into a vast living room. _THIS _was her house?! The ceiling was high, revealing a balcony-like opening on the second floor. The kitchen was open tot he back of the house. Suddenly, rapid clicking on the wood floor informed her Harley was aware of her presence.

He came bounding up to her, yet did not jump up or try pushing her over as was custom. He seemed to be aware she was hurt. He sat directly in front of her and shoved at her hand with his nose, tail beating frantically. She pet him thoroughly, so happy to see him she was lost for words. He followed her as she explored the entire rest of the downstairs of the house. It was very early morning, just light out enough to see. The property was one huge flat field, with a few trees scattered whimsically about.

"Oh, I bet you love it here already. No cars to chase and hit you, no chickens or squirrels-" She said teasingly to Harley.  
He froze, ears perked up at the word squirrel. She laughed quietly at him. "Ok, there's probably some of those around." She smiled.

She found the fridge stocked up with plenty of food, and began making cheesy scrambled eggs for herself and for Harley. She added hot sauce to her own, and sat down on the soft couch, turning on the TV. When finished inhaling his eggs, Harley jumped up and curled up against her, resting his head on her lap. Morning cartoons were on. Kali pulled a blanket around herself and sighed, trying to let it all sink in. This was all hers. And it was because of him.

Bane awoke slowly. The bed was ridiculously comfortable, something he did not particularly like. He preferred a hard bed that let him sleep only for as long as he needed and no more. Barsad had brought quite a bit of his clothing over, along with a mini fridge that contained a stock of his frozen pre-made pouches, along with the medicine he needed for his mask. He stretched and headed for the shower, which was supplied with his Old Spice body wash that he enjoyed so much. _Always the perfectionist, Barsad._

As he dressed, he heard a quiet sound, like music, coming from the living room. He went out and was surprised to see Kali sitting there, absently stroking a snoring Harley as she watched cartoons, a childish grin on her face as she saw him.  
"Up so soon? I'd expected you to sleep the entire day away." He commented, sitting in the arm chair.  
"I've slept way too much." She replied.

She looked all around her then, taking a deep breath.  
"All of this, Bane. This is way too much. I don't know how I can ever repay you for it all." She said in wonder as she looked around.  
"Well, you can get better for starters." Bane replied before he got any more uncomfortable.  
"Of course." She replied with a smile.

They sat together watching cartoons, her favorite as she claimed, with a coyote determined to catch and eat a roadrunner. Bane had never seen it before, and it amused him, especially when she would laugh. Her laugh was beautiful, like music. And suddenly he felt her eyes on him, and realized he was smiling. And though she could not see the smile she knew he was. And suddenly, he didn't care, and he chuckled, and they spent the entire morning watching cartoons as the sun rose.

**Reviews please!**


	10. Shaken

**Hello lovies! So I have quite a few nasty surprises waiting for you... in future chapters! Mwahaha! Trust me, it will be worth the wait. One hint of the many things I'm going to fling at you: The Joker 3 So prepare for awesomeness.  
Do not own TDK or anything Batman related. Kali is mine.**

Once the morning string of cartoons was over, Kali stretched. Harley simply slid his head off her lap and continued quietly snoring. She kissed him gently on the nose.  
"Are you hungry? The fridge is packed." She asked, reaching for her crutches.  
"If I'm going to stay here, I must mention one thing. I don't eat whole food. I have my own food in my room, so don't worry about me." Bane said firmly, willing her to not question him.  
She looked at him for a long moment, an uncomfortably long moment.  
"One question?" She asked uncertainly, looking shy.

He sighed heavily. _Here it comes. Ugly, hideous, monster, disgusting, mutilated! _The voice screeched at him. He nodded at her.  
"Do you ever take it off?" She asked gently.  
"When I eat, yes. Otherwise I must keep it on." He explained.  
"Ok." She replied simply, and struggled to her feet.  
_That's it? She didn't dig? How... unusual._

Kali made her way down the hall towards her room, and paused at the door.  
"If you hear any loud noises, don't come in." She called to him.  
"Why?" He asked apprehensively.  
"I'm attempting to take a bath." She replied, and closed the door behind her.

Upon entering the bathroom, Kali looked from tub to shower, and decided the shower would be easier because she had more to hold onto. She found all of her bathroom things neatly arranged in tiny closet to the side of the shower, and pulled out everything she needed. She went into the closet and found clean clothes, all her familiar comfortable Tees and sweat pants. She also noticed the weird cast-like plastic object, and remembered she had to keep her stupid broken leg cast dry.

It was slow going, but finally she climbed into the shower. It was very difficult, moving on only one leg, and her ribs screamed at her with every unbalanced movement. Yet the shower was worth all the pain. She grabbed her shampoo and began scrubbing thoroughly at her scalp with her favorite peppermint scent. Next she moved on to the citrus scented body wash. And once she started scrubbing, she didn't want to stop. Memories came flooding back in one massive tidal waves. Hands everywhere, pain everywhere, the screams...

She scrubbed until her skin was raw from it. Finally, she tossed the body pouf aside and just stood in the hot stream of water. Her leg wouldn't have much more of this precarious balancing act however, and finally she got out. She pulled on her clothes careful, smiling at their familiar comfort. Suddenly there was a light tap at the door.  
"Kali?" Bane asked quietly.  
"I didn't crack my head open if that's what you're wondering. I'll be out in a moment." She replied, more shortly than she had meant to.

She made her way back into the living room, but he was nowhere in sight. Harley slid off the couch and wandered up to her, the all too well known look on his face.  
"Ok, there's nothing bad out there for you to go after, so I guess I can let you loose. Don't make me regret it mister." She scolded lightly.  
He wagged his tail, and very innocent expression on his face as he went to the door. She let him out, and stood on the porch watching him as he wandered about the yard aimlessly sniffing.

She turned to go inside, to find Harley's treats, and nearly cried out. Bane stood in the doorway, arms crossed as he leaned against the frame. His eyes were focused far too sharply on her, the intensity making her feel stood that way for a while, just staring at each other. Harley moved past both, and shoved his way into the house, expecting a treat to be waiting for him.  
"What?" She finally asked, unable to bear it any longer.  
He just continued to look at her, but then silently moved inside, out of her way. She carefully moved inside, suddenly aware of his overwhelming presence. She searched a few of the cabinets in the kitchen, and found the large box of treats. Harley happily took it from her and trotted into the living room. It was so odd of him to not pick up on the intensity the atmosphere was right now.

Bane was sitting in the armchair, facing her, hands clasped over his lap and he leaned forward, pinning her with a stare that could only be described as... hungry? It sent terrifying chills up and down her spine in rippling waves. What the hell was he doing? She went to step back, head towards the back room where her library was set up, when suddenly the one crutch slid and she fell forward, catching herself on her forearm as the rest of her crashed onto the hard linoleum. Her ribs felt as though they were broken again, splintering into tiny pieces within her aching body. Suddenly two booted feet appeared before her, and a large hand was gripping her arm.

"Don't touch me!" She yelled, jerking away from his grasp.  
Bane stared down at her, and then slowly stepped away as she carefully pulled herself to her feet, wincing all the way.  
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" She snapped at him, and retrieved the fallen crutches, she made her way to the couch and collapsed.  
"You just stare at me, like I'm food." She spat at him.  
Bane sighed, turning away from her. Well, his test had proven his point. She was not nearly as sound and calm as she appeared to be this morning. Then he began to realize how foolish his actions were. He was just testing her mental state is all. And then a terrifying sound caught his attention. _Now you're screwed._

Kali was hunched over, head in her hands, trembling violently as she tried to suppress the sobs that were escaping in quiet bursts. Harley cautiously approached her, sniffing at her hands, giving them a gentle lick. She glanced up at him, and petted him softly on the head as she continued to shake. _She's crying. After everything, she decides to start crying now. Great._ Bane was at a loss for words. What the hell did you say to someone who'd gone through what she had? As he struggled to speak, she was suddenly up and going to her room, the dog following her, tail wagging sadly. He rounded the corner, finally decided he should at least apologize. She was already at her door, letting Harley go in before her.

"Kali." He called out, causing her to flinch.  
She turned to face him, face terribly pale with bright red around the eyes. She looked so scared of him it physically hurt.  
"I'm sorry." He said, quietly, afraid he'd said it too quietly for her to hear.  
She blinked, wiping at one eye.  
"What for?" She asked shakily.  
"For scaring you." He replied a little more loudly.

She nodded slowly, and then she smiled softly.  
"I didn't mean to yell." She said apologetically, shyly.  
Then she was in her room, locking the door behind her.

Hours went by, and only silence came from the room. Bane was worried. Could such damage be healed with time alone? He doubted it. He felt anxious, even nervous, and guilty. He paced on the back porch for a short while, then went to his own room and ate one of the pouches. As he went to pace the living room again, he paused at Kali's door. Quiet sobs echoed out, probably coming from the bathroom. He pressed a hand to the cool door, squeezing his eyes shut.

_I'm so sorry._

__**Reviews please!**


	11. Sunlight, Scars, Mint and Potatoes

**Hey readers! I need some feedback from you guys. I'm thinking of making a playlist of sorts, just a song or two to go along with each chapter. Any suggestions? Help me out!  
Things are about to get interesting!  
Do not own Bane (wish I did :P) or any TDk related content. Kali is mine.**

Bane sat on the steps of the back porch, looking over the wide field. It was a beautiful location. It was the beginning of June, and the heat was finally starting to build up. After removing his mask, Bane tilted his head back, feeling the warmth on his face. A soft breeze brushed by. How long had it been since he just stopped, sat down, and actually felt the world?

Suddenly Harley flew past him, chasing after some small furry creature that bolted up a tree. He had not heard the screen door open behind him. He quickly reached for his mask.  
"You can keep it off, I won't come out." Kali said quietly from behind him, and he heard the creak of the crutches as she moved into the room Barsad had filled with all her books and movies.

Harley barked furiously at the furry animal that was no longer in sight, circling the tree. Birds chirped happily nearby. Bane felt settled, at peace, for once, especially now that Kali seemed to have recovered. Bane sighed, glad he was able to smell the flowers and fresh air for once, and not the metallic sting of the inside of his mask. The breeze shifted slightly, and suddenly the heavy smell of peppermint filled his nose, with a lemon scent underneath it. He realized the smell was coming from the small window that led into Kali's bathroom. It smelled delicious.

After a while Harley wandered back towards him, sniffing absently at the mask beside him. The dog tilted his head slightly, then went to the door and lightly scratched at it. Bane picked up the mask, got up, and went into the kitchen, handing the dog a treat as he passed the counter they sat on. He then headed upstairs, to see if Barsad had even left. Of course he had. Bane couldn't even tell he had been there. The upstairs consisted of two guest bedrooms, with a small bathroom between them. In the one guest room, a door led to the attic. It had a rather low ceiling, but there was nothing remaining from the person who had resided in the house before them.

As Bane went back down the stairs, he heard the microwave in the kitchen beeping and assumed Kali was making herself something to eat. He turned the corner to go to his room, and collided with her. She gasped, falling backward, and he caught her around the waist, pulling her to him to keep her from doing any more damage to herself as the crutches slipped from her grasp. Clinging to him for a moment, she let out a nervous laugh as she tried to move back from him. That's when she saw the mask, which he had dropped to catch her, on the floor by her feet.

Slowly she looked up at him, working her way up from his chin to his eyes as he gauged her reaction. What he saw was not expected. He saw pain in her eyes, pain and horror and fear.  
"Oh... Bane." She breathed, and her cool fingers oh so lightly touched his lower lip, where the largest of the scars was located.  
It felt amazing, to have someone else touch the part of him no one had seen since he first go the mask. Not even Barsad had seen this. Warmth, sudden and scary, filled him as he realized he was relieved she had not reacted as most had.

"Who did this to you? Why did they do this?" She asked, voice trembling, and with awe he realized she was on the verge of tears.  
"It's a long story. To shorten it, I saved someone from a terrible fate, and took the punishment for it." He said slowly.

He shifted her to one arm, and carefully leaned down to retrieve her crutches, and his fallen mask. She did not take her eyes off his face, studying it with a mixture of horror and wonder. And suddenly her cool fingers were touching him again, tracing the grooves the mask left along is cheeks and jaw. It felt incredible, and Bane almost moaned from the feel of it. He shook the emotions away suddenly, and helped her regain the crutches. Then he rapidly stepped away from her, and turned to continue to his room.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." She spoke quickly.  
"You did not. In fact, you've done quite the opposite." He said softly, and disappeared into the confines of his room, the smell of peppermint haunting him.

Kali found a plastic container in the corner by Harley's food and bowls, and pulled out one of the many toys in it. Harley waited, oozing excitement as she sat carefully on the couch, and tossed it lightly. It bounced only once before Harley snapped it into his mouth. She played with him for a while, trying to calm her racing thoughts.

Poor Bane... She could not begin to imagine how painful those injuries had been. She had seen he had no teeth, which would make the no food thing make sense. Yet he spoke in the same perfect velvet tone, even without the mask. She wondered if he just used the mask to scare people, and cover the scars. A sudden cough caught her attention. Bane leaned against the wall in what was becoming his typical pose, arms crossed, one leg crossed slightly over the other at the ankle. Yet he was not staring at her the way he had before. The mask was back in place.

"Tomorrow we're making our first trip to the hospital to check on your progress." He informed her solidly, leaving no room for argument.  
She nodded, rolling her eyes. Harley scratched lightly at the door, and Bane wordlessly let him out, eyes never leaving her.

Bane had just got off the phone with Barsad. Out of curiosity Bane had had him do a background check on Kali. Barsad had told him some very interesting news. Now he just had to decide whether he told her or not. He continued to look at her, trying to see it. Her eyes were such a light green, they nearly glowed. They had gorgeous amber flecks in them, and he found himself trapped by them many a time.

"Bane?" She asked cautiously, and he realized he'd had her trapped in a stare of his own.  
"You said your parents died when you were very young. Do you remember them at all?" He asked.  
"Not really. I know I got my hair from my mother, and my eyes from my father. That's about it. Why?"  
"Just...wondering." Bane said.  
Now was not the time. She needed to recover.

Kali suddenly remembered she'd had a sweet potato in the microwave. She quickly hobbled over and reheated it, digging through the cabinets for brown sugar and cinnamon. Once the potato was heated again, she sliced it open and smeared some butter into the steaming center. She sprinkled the brown sugar and cinnamon on top of it and let it melt for a little while before digging in.

"So I take it your food has to be in liquid form for you to eat it?" She asked over her shoulder.  
"Not quite liquid, just extremely mashed." He replied from incredibly close.

For such a large man he moved unbelievably quietly.  
"So if I take the sweet potato out of the skin and mash it up really good you could eat it?" She questioned, turning to face him.  
He had a very thoughtful expression, then shrugged. "I suppose."

"Good. I'll make one for you." She said sternly, and ignored him as his eyebrows shot up.  
"I already ate." He protested. "Besides, microwaved potatoes?"  
"Hey!" She burst out. "I don't know how to cook very well, but potatoes come out ten times faster if you put them in he microwave then bake them for up to an hour." She grumbled at him, and he smirked.

"Fine. Cook for me." He gave in, and went to the front porch to let the dog in.  
The dog pranced into the kitchen, where Kali dropped a spoonful of the orange mush into his waiting mouth as she popped a second potato into the microwave. Why the hell did Barsad get potatoes?

**Reviews please, and suggestions!**


	12. Just Keep Swimmin

**Sorry for the wait, I had a lot of stuff to do and just had enough time to write this. Thanks to all my readers for the song suggestions. Keep them coming! And thank you all for the wonderful reviews.  
Do not own Bane (sigh) or any TDK related content. Kali is mine.**

One Month Later:

Kali had finally gotten the cast removed, and was wearing a brace for her ribs. She went to physical therapy three times a week. Bane had turned down multiple jobs throughout the month. Kali needed someone around, and he wanted to be that person. He'd even warmed up to the dog, with all his strange behaviors. Kali was determined to make him food he could eat, and she was doing good so far. Bane no longer felt uncomfortable being seen without his mask by her.

Bane drove Kali around the small town nearby, giving her money to buy food for the house, and for books and movies and whatever else she wanted. He never left the car though. It would be too difficult to disguise his mask here.

In the heat, Kali flourished. She often wore flowing tank tops and colorful shorts. Her pale skin quickly began to glow as she often spent many hours playing with Harley and exploring the property. Bane would follow her anywhere she went.

One late evening, as Kali was cooking something for him, Bane began to remember he needed to tell her something. He needed to tell her he knew about her parents, what had really happened. Yet there never seemed to be the right moment to tell her, and she seemed so happy. He didn't want it to end.

As night came around, Kali scooped ice cream for both of them, making sure to put the carton in the microwave first so it would soft enough for him to eat. Bane found he liked it when she did these small things for him. They sat together on the couch, watching a movie she deemed her favorite, _Finding Nemo. _Bane smirked. She claimed just about everything they watched was her favorite.

"Es-sca-pay!" She burst out, startling him. She continued to giggle hysterically. Her humor amused him like nothing else.

Some time later, after being so focused into the movie, Bane realized Kali had fallen asleep, curled up into an impossibly small ball in the corner of the couch, Harley half on top of her. Lately, while she still smiled, he could always see shadows of the demons that haunted her. Here, she looked so peaceful, a half smile as she slept. Bane did not want to disturb her. He got up, taking their bowls to the sink. He then took the knit blanket off the back of the couch, and managed to get Harley to lift his head just long enough to slip the blanket around her. Without thinking, Bane leaned down and placed a swift kiss to her hair, before going back to his room as he pulled his mask back on.

It was still dark when Bane heard a gasp, loud and near the point of a scream. He moved out to the living room to find Kali sitting, looking confused as she clutched the blanket around her. She turned to him with bright eyes as he slowly entered the room, making his steps heavy so she would hear him coming.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know where I was for a second." She said quickly, trying to disguise the tremble in her voice.

The poor girl was shaking, her pupils considerably small for the dark. She'd probably had a nightmare. Bane offered a hand to her, and she took it without hesitation. He helped her to her feet.

"Come, let's get you to bed." He said softly.

Harley did not follow, only stretched out more over the couch as they left. Kali was already drowsy again as he guided her to her room, all the way to her bed. She seemed suddenly terrified of the room, glancing around at each dark corner as she sat on the bed. Bane pulled up the corner of the comforter and she hesitantly slid underneath, still sitting up straight and tense.

"You're not dreaming anymore dear. No monsters here, just me." Bane said with a slight chuckle.

She looked at him then, really looked at him, and he could tell she wanted to ask him something.

"What is it?" He asked, sitting beside her.

"Would you... would you stay, just for a little bit?" She asked shyly, staring at her hands in her lap.

She looked very hopeless, and scared, and his pity and guilt ganged up on him.

"Just until you fall asleep." He said with a sigh.

She moved over to one side of the bed, patting the other. He sat there, against the headboard, and she laid down. It only took a few minutes for her breathing to slow and her frantic heart to calm. Bane waited a few more minutes, and just as he was about to leave, she suddenly turned onto her side, and curled her thin arms around his forearm, tucking it under her chin. She let out a small sigh, a small smile crossing her features. He ended up staying until the bird started to sing.

Kali awoke to the smell of something delicious cooking. She sat up, pushing her messy hair out of her face. She paused as a whiff of something crossed her senses. She sniffed, and realized the smell was coming from her hair. _Is that...Old Spice?_

Bane heard the water turn on in Kali's bathroom, and smiled. He knew pancakes would wake her up. She had mentioned not long ago how she loved berry-filled pancakes, with tater-tots on the side. He had never really cooked anything more than microwave meals, and meat before he turned it into a smoothie. He'd already burned a few, some more than others, but he doubted she would care.

When everything was done he left it in the oven so it would stay warm, and then stepped out onto the back porch to stretch and take in the morning air. The heavy smell of peppermint flooded his senses, followed by undercurrents of citrus. He could hear the faintest humming coming from the cracked window as steam poured out. How the girl could be taking a hot shower when it was already 75 degrees out was beyond him. Even the dog was already panting.

Not long later Kali came practically skipping into the kitchen. Bane pulled the plate stacked high with pancake and the bowl full of golden, some brown, tater tots, and set them on the counter before her as she shimmied into the high stool. He then got the ketchup and maple syrup out of the fridge, along with a small plastic bear honey container. Her jaw nearly dropped.

"You remembered me babbling about this?" She questioned as she looked over the breakfast feast.

"You did talk about it for a bit." Bane admitted.

She smiled brightly. "Thank you Bane." She said sweetly, and then began cutting up the pancakes.

She was about halfway through the food when she paused. Bane smirked, and pulled a gallon of chocolate milk from the fridge, and poured it into a tall glass. He still found it hilarious that she abhorred milk the way she did. It was the same with tomatoes, zuchinni, squash, and peas. She took a few sips of the chocolate milk, and then looked up at him.

"Aren't you going to eat some?" She asked very seriously.

"I don't think pancakes and tater tots are meant to be blended together." He replied, cocking an eyebrow.

"Blend them separately, duh. I'll save some and make it for you." There was no arguing.

It was not long after that Kali went bouncing up to Bane as he worked on setting up a clothesline between two trees in the backyard. He was working carefully with the wheel the rope went around, trying to hold it steady so he put the nail in at the right angle.

"Bane!" She burst out impatiently when he did not acknowledge her.

"What is it?" He asked with a huff.

He was already doing all the work to set this up. What more did she want from him?

"Do you want to go swimming? There's a nice creek at the back of the property, down at the bottom of the hill. It has lots of deep spots, I found it yesterday."

Bane paused, nail and hammer in hand. A swim in cool water was quite welcome at the moment, with the sun beating down at its highest point. Even though he was wearing shorts and a light grey shirt, he was sweating.

"I suppose. Let me finish this first." He answered.

"I'll be down there when you're ready." She said, and went running off, chasing Harley, a bright coral backpack flashing.

Bane continued to fidget with the line until it was perfect. He was sweating under the mask now. He took it off, and sighed in relief as a breeze cooled his face. He went slowly down towards the creek, where he could hear Harley barking. Kali's backpack was propped up against a rock, a light blue towel hanging out of its open pocket. Harley was at the edge of the stream, quiet, focused. Suddenly Kali rose from the spot he'd been looking at, and tossed the ball up into the air laughing. The dog leaped into the air, catching the ball with a snapping noise, and landed in a giant splash.

"So glad you could join us." Kali teased, pushing her hair back.

"I would have gotten here much more quickly if you had helped me." Bane responded, placing his mask down beside her backpack.

He kicked off his boots, yanked off the socks, and pulled his shirt up over his head. As he did so, he caught the expression on Kali's face. Her jaw had dropped, and her eyes were quickly exploring him. He smirked slightly as the shirt passed over his face. She recovered quickly.

"I can't help you, I'm still crippled, remember?" She said, sticking her tongue out at him.

Suddenly Harley swam up to her, bumping her arms with the ball in his mouth. She took it, and he quickly backed onto shore, crouched low, waiting, as she sunk below the surface again, giving Bane a teasing smile.

Bane sunk into the cool rushing water, sighing as chills soothed his hot skin. He closed his eyes for just a second, and suddenly he heard air rushing. He opened his eyes just in time to see Harley's ball directly before him, as the dog jumped and caught it. Harley landed in the water right in front of him, splashing and soaking him completely.

Kali burst out laughing, her cheeks turning a sweet pink as she giggled at him.

"Oh, little girl. You will regret that." Bane said quietly.

Her smile faltered as he lunged towards her, arms reaching. She dove backwards and under, swimming with the current. She came up a few feet away, and continued to slowly back away as he slowly drew near. She was running out of deep spots to swim in, and there was no doubt Bane could run faster than she did. Unless she splashed him to momentarily blind him as she was escaping. And so she did, scrambling up into the shallows, and shoving a wall of water at his face as she turned to run. She barely made it 20 feet before huge arms wrapped around her waist.

Bane carefully lifted her, being sure to put most of the pressure on her hips, and dropped her to the ground as she screeched in surprise. She giggled as Bane sat beside her, and they took in the glowing scenery that was there property. Suddenly Bane was caught in her eyes, trapped in the amber flecks, the warm glow of her cheeks, her soft black peppermint hair, her full pink lips. Something stirred in him, twisted at his gut and wrenched at his heart, coming to life, roaring inside of him. _DON'T YOU DARE!_

__Bane gently captured her face in his hands, and kissed Kali as the world seemed to tear away from him.

**Reviews please!**


	13. Fire Rising

**So I've picked a few songs, not for a chapters playlist but just songs in general. Listed at the end! Thanks for all the reviews!  
Disclaimer: Sadly don't own Bane, or any TDKR content. Kali is mine.  
Warning: Rated MATURE for a reason wink wink chapter is full of it.**

Kali was a statue under Bane's hands as he felt an uncomfortable emotion surge through him. Was it rejection? The cold fear of that stunned him, before a moment later Kali seemed to come back to life. She applied only the slightest pressure back, eyes searching slightly, and Bane pulled away as he realized the signs of panic in her dilated pupils. She stared at him, shocked clearly. A few times her lips parted, as if to speak, but her voice was lost.

Bane gently stroked a calloused hand over her cheek, wanting some reaction out of her, anything but the frozen silence. The fainest blush touched her cheeks as her wide eyes softened, but still she struggled to speak, and he could see the hesitation. It hurt. It was so stupid of him, what the hell was he doing?

"I don't know why I did that. Forgive me." Bane said quietly, and got up.

He retrieved his clothes and mask and turned to go back to the house. She was just sitting there, looking at him, a finger trailed to her lips. What did he do? He was halfway up the hill when suddenly rapid footsteps caught his attention.

"Bane!" Kali called.

He turned in time to catch her as she nearly tackled him. Then suddenly her lips were pressed to his, kissing him furiously. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, crushing her to him, all fire and energy as she kissed him. He dropped his mask as he took hold, one arm around her waist and the other hand in her hair at the back of her neck. The darkness in him fled at the raging fire that erupted in him. He didn't even care that what was happening didn't make sense. That it couldn't end well. He didn't want to think anymore, didn't want to care anymore.

Next thing he knew she was pulling him down to the grass, and she was on top of him, pressed hard against him. Her kisses were more heated, her lips parted slightly. As she shifted, he realized he had grown hard and was now pressed against her hip. She paused suddenly, and looked down at him, an unknown expression on her face. Then she was getting up, taking his hand, pulling urgently. He'd seen fear in her eyes, the shadows ravenous. He'd more than likely triggered a bad memory. He hesitated.

"Where are you taking me?" He asked, resisting her pull slightly so she would stop.

She turned, gazing up at him, into his eyes. He saw some desperate need, pleading for him to understand.

"I want the demons to go away Bane. I want the shadows lurking in the corners to stop taunting me. I want to feel something, anything, that kills this numbness. I want you, Bane." She said strongly, gripping his hand in hers.

Those amber flecks danced like tiny flames as the green swallowed him whole. He was lost to her now.

"I can't resist you anymore." He growled, and lifted her into his arms.

He kissed her long and hard and hot as he carried her into the house, holding her against the wall a moment so he could close the door. The dog did not attempt to follow, only lay in the shade. Her kisses were like a thousand mouths, draining the dark harsh cold he'd known nearly all his life from him. He was warm, he was burning from her fire. He shoved the door to his room open, kicked it shut ehind him, and carried her to his bed.

Her cool hands traveled over his hard chest as he sat at the edge of the bed, her legs still around him. Her hands moved everywhere, feeling every tight muscle, every scar. Bane dipped his head and kissed her neck, biting gently at her citrus scented flesh. She gasped, pulled him closer, and captured his mouth again. His hands moved from her back, one gripping her hip tightly, the other gliding up her stomach until he finally cupped her breast. She moaned, leaning back, and he kissed her neck again as he slid his hand under her bikini top.

Her hands were clumsy at his belt for a moment before she undid the buckle, and carefully pulled it free. She trailed burning kisses down his chin, to his throat, and onto his chest, blazing eyes never leaving his. He reached behind her and found the strings to her top, and slowly pulled until the knot collapsed as the strings fell loose around her shoulders. He undid the lower strings next, gauging her reaction every step. She only became more heated as she pulled the top away, exposing her perfect breasts. Bane growled and dipped his head, taking her hardened nipple into his mouth.

She tossed her head back, clutching at his back, as he teased her a moment before kissing her again. He stood slightly, turned, and lowered her onto the bed, mouth never leaving hers. She undid the button on his shorts, and as she unzipped them he remembered he wasn't wearing his boxers. _Not like it matters now. Idiot._

She gasped as he sprang free of the shorts, but then her hand was on hip, rubbing slowly, teasingly as she tried pulling his shorts down his hips. He helped to kick them off before he pulled her bottoms off, and nearly lost himself at the sight of her naked. He slowly glided a hand up her thigh until he was touching her, and she lifted her hips at his touch. He moved back up her, pressing his weight onto her, looking into those deep enchanting eyes. They did not break eye contact as he slowly slid himself into her.

She moaned loudly as he filled her completely, reveled at the lack of pain, of the intense pleasure as he buried himself completely. He growled against her throat as he pushed into her again, moving at a strong steady rhythm. She kissed his neck, biting harder, clutching to him as he began to move faster, deeper, harder. He kissed her passionately, taking in every sight and sound as he moved in her.

He wanted badly to let himself go, but he wouldn't be that selfish. Not with her. Not ever. How long had it been? Ten years? Suddenly he felt her tightening, her gasps coming quicker and shorter, and her grip on him was incredibly strong. In an instant, she screamed out his name, and he captured her lips as everything around her blew high up, higher than she'd ever been, and then came falling down like feathers. Bane buried his face in her neck as he released.

They lay, panting, for a long time entangled in each other. Kali shifted slightly under him, and he lifted his head to see wonder in her expression. Wonder, and a scorching heat that rivaled what she had before.

"More." The one word echoed wildly through him, and he found himself hard again.

And they went again and again and again until Bane's mouth suddenly exploded in pain, having been removed from the mask for hours now. He struggled to finish, and when he did, the pain was momentarily replaced by unbelievable bliss. Then, the pain was near overwhelming, and groaning, he fell to the side of Kali, pulling away from her.

"Bane?" She asked, worried, reaching for him.

"My mask." He breathed, clenching his fists as a wave of pain came over him.

She pulled the sheet up and around herself and rushed out. She was back a moment later, an eternity it felt for him, and handed it to him. With shaking hands he moved it into place, and the hiss of oxygen and pain killers was a welcome friend as he lay back. He sighed, catching his breath, as she sat beside him.

Her skin was flushed, hair messed up, and she'd never seemed more gorgeous to him. And she was his. The possession he felt towards her was like nothing he'd felt before. Then she was pulling the sheet off, and she got on top of him, leaning low, pressing her breasts against him as she looked into his eyes.

How the hell could he still be going after all that? Yet at her gentle touch he was ready again, and with that heated gaze that scorched him to the core, she slowly sank down onto him, taking him inside her fully. She gently rocked against him, panting, moaning. His rough hands felt amazing against her hot skin. And they kept going.

Hours later, Kali lay in a happy nap, fully sated and exhausted. Bane pulled a clean pair of boxers on, and went to the kitchen to get a drink. He had never felt so tired before in his entire life. Yet he could go forever if she asked it of him. He was hers to command. When he returned to the bedroom, she was slightly awake, and smiled sleepily at him as he handed her a glass of water. She drank it in seconds, and then shuffled over so he had room to lay beside her. He slid under the blanket beside her, wrapping his arms around her, and she pushed herself tighter against him. He came to life in an instant.

"Haven't had enough?" She asked teasingly, the heat still present in her voice.

"Never." He breathed, trailing a hand down her naked body to cup her.

**Reviews!  
**Songs: "Safe and Sound"- Taylor Swift  
"I Put A Spell On You"- any version really  
"Never Let Me Go"- Florence and the Machine  
For the future: "Radioactive"-Imagine Dragons


	14. Broken Smile

**Brace yourselves readers, this chapter's going to drag y'all down the rabbit hole!  
Disclaimer: Don't own Bane or any TDKR affiliated shenanigans. Enjoy!**

It was past two in the morning. Kali was asleep in his bed. Bane sat in the armchair, shirtless, pressing his forehead to his clasped hands. A million thoughts were shooting by, too fast to really grasp. Not very long ago, he would never bow to anyone. Yet he would drop to his knees before her. He cringed at that fact. He was weakening to her. She was his, he was hers, but what good was that? To belong to each other? He still hadn't told her what he'd found out about her parents. How would she react to _that _devastating news?

Just an hour ago, as he had held her sleeping form, she had whispered to him in her sleep. "_I love you Bane.__" _That was not something he had been prepared to hear. He also hadn't expected himself to whisper back "_I love you too."_

What future could he possibly have here? He was a killer. He had plans, a mission. He wanted to make the world know the pain of the injustice done to him, to Talia, to... Kali. Somehow that poor girl had been trapped in his web, spun into his plan. Yet he dreamed, so hesitantly he feared it, of a future he could have here, with her. Happy... but how long would it last before their shadows caught up to them?

Bane heard vibrating from the kitchen, and quickly went to retrieve his phone. Pulling it from its charger, he blinked in surprise at the number.

"Talia?" He asked.  
"It's time."  
"Now?"  
"Yes." She hissed, sounding exasperated. "It's already been set in motion. I need you now."  
Bane sighed, glancing towards the hallway.  
"Right... I'll be there tomorrow."

He expected her to hang up.  
"I heard about your little pet." Talia nearly spat. "You know you'll never see her again. Forget her."

Bane crept around the room, packing his few possessions. He'd have Barsad collect the rest of what he needed from his apartment. Kali sighed in her sleep, the slightest smile on her face as she nuzzled into his pillow. His throat constricted as he looked over her. How quickly she had wiggled her way into his dark heart. He nearly thought about forgetting his lifelong plans, to stay here with her. It sent tiny shards of glass splintering through him. He loved her, and he would never see her again.

He slipped his mask off, and leaned over very slowly. He placed a long soft kiss to her forehead, inhaling her peppermint hair for one last time, putting it to memory. He stood back up, securing his mask, and placed a note and a tape recorder on the side table. He swung his bag over his shoulder, and left the house, never looking back.

Kali awoke to the birds beginning to sing outside. It was only just getting light out. She sat up slowly, stretching. She was sore as hell, but the soreness made her smile. Bane was not there, and there was no warmth anywhere else on the bed. He'd been gone a while. Sleepily, she shuffled into the bathroom with just the sheet wrapped around her.

Coming back out, she noticed a note folded up on the end table, with a tape recorder next to it. Curious, she sat on the edge of the bed, picking up the note. The writing was incredibly neat and a fluid cursive.

"_Kali,  
I regret to inform you I have to leave. For good. It's better for us. I'm no good for you, and you're no good for me. Don't come looking for me. I'll be dead within a year. I wish I'd had more time, I'm sorry. I've left a bank account for you, you should live quite comfortably for the rest of your life. Please, take care of yourself. Goodbye. I love you.  
Bane."_

Kali's hands trembled, and slowly crushed and tore at the note as she suppressed a rage filled scream. Her attention was caught by the tape recorder. What was she supposed to do with this? Cautiously, she took the cold object into her hands and pressed the play button. Bane's velvety voice came across in a second.

"Kali, I have some news for you. It's too long and complicated a story to write. Please, listen to this tape the whole way through. This is going to be hard for you to hear. I found the truth in your parents' deaths. Your mother and father were not the best off. They lived in Gotham City. They had many financial problems. Your father worked at a chemical factory, which made him sick often, and your mother was working in an office until she couldn't work any longer, after she got pregnant with you. She had many complications during the pregnancy, and it built up the medical bills. Your father joined a group of thugs, helped to rob banks. When you were born, your father didn't want to end up going to jail because of his crimes. So he did a job himself, robbed a bank, kept all the money.

The group he'd joined did not like the fact he was robbing their banks. When you were just a few months old, your parents decided to leave. Your father would rob one last bank, and then the three of you would leave. However, the thugs were waiting for him when he got back from the robbery. They had killed your mother, and they were holding you when he got there. There was a huge fight, first fists then guns. They pinned him down, cut open his face at the corners of his lips. The cops arrived, firing at everyone. That's where the scar on your temple came from.

Your father thought you had died. He ran, went to the factory he worked at to hide. He'd been shot, and he was working on fixing the wound when a man in Gotham City, calls himself Batman, arrived. They took your father away. He was crazy, so lost in his grief that he refused to believe you were alive. It wouldn't have mattered anyways, he was going to jail for a long time. The man who found you was a William C. Blake. That's where you got your last name from. They sent you to an orphanage far from Gotham, to protect you from anyone who might still want revenge against your father.

Kali... ... You are lucky to have left that poisonous place when you did. It has gotten so much worse. What I'm about to tell you is very important, Kali. I beg you to do what I'm about to ask you. Stay away from Gotham, as far from it as you can. Just stay here, stay safe. Your father is still alive, but you must stay away from him. Kali... ... your father is the Joker."

Kali gasped as hot tears poured down her face. "No! No no no! NO!" She spat, glaring at the device as though it were evil itself. She dropped it to the bed, like it had scalded her.

"He's been rotting in Arkham Asylum since he failed to destroy Gotham. Many times they have asked him if he remembered you. He doesn't remember anything about himself, not you, not his wife. I just thought you should know the truth about yourself. I have to go now. Good luck."

Kali stared at the recorder as it stopped playing. She clutched to the sheet around herself, sobbing. Bane was gone, and her father... She remembered sitting with the other girls in the orphanage, cluttered around the TV as reports showed the destruction of the big city. The Joker's face splashed across the screen, his haunting voice, his eyes-

Kali nearly shrieked. "His eyes!" She moaned, clenching her own closed. They'd shared the same eyes. Kali reached up, brushing her hair out the way as she touched the faint silver scar on her temple.

At the orphanage, they'd told her that her parents had died in a car accident. She preferred that story now, would die to believe that story. She sank to the floor, sobbing until she couldn't breath.

An hour later, Kali stood naked before the mirror in the bathroom. Beside her reflection, a picture of the Joker was taped to the glass. She looked from the picture to herself. Same exact eyes. Same cheekbones. Same hairline. Same wrinkle at her brow, slightly off to the left. She believed it now. The Joker really was her father.

She sank to the floor, pulling her knees to her chest. The demons inside were tearing at any light they found. She was dying. The shadows sneered from the corners just beyond her vision. She slowly clamped her hands over her ears, squeezing her eyes shut. But the volume rose, deafening her, and it vibrated through her dying body.

_You're not even good enough for that monstrosity. Bane, ha! How ironic. You're filth, useless! The only good you've ever served is a good fuck for him. Just like your father, useless filth! Failure! You know crazy runs in your blood? Monstrosity! Killer! Useless filth! Just like your father._

Kali screamed Bane's name a few times, until the darkness tore her from reality, swallowed her whole, drowned her. The fire screamed.

**Reviews please!  
**To answer a few questions. The man, William Blake, that saved Kali, is John (Robin) Blake's father. More is coming, I promise. Hopefully by Friday. Reviews!


	15. The Cause

**This is going to be a short chapter, only because it works for the timing of the story The next chapter will be out soon. I want you, the readers, to get a feel of the time pass, the drama of it.  
Disclaimer: Don't own Bane, Joker, or any other TDK related content. Kali Blake is mine.**

For the rest of the day, Kali sat slumped into the couch, staring at the blank television. Harley had tried to come to her, but when she did not respond to him, he lay in the corner looking at her sadly. Her mind was nothing but white noise, just static. Her breathing was shallow, dry, and each one burned up and down her throat. Reality was nowhere to be found.

It was getting dark when Harley began to growl low, then began to snarl at the back door. Kali did not look, did not register, what was going on until the sound of shattered glass filled her senses. Two men stood in the kitchen, a third fighting off Harley as he attacked the man's arm. All three wore all black, including masks that only revealed their eyes.

Harley let out a pain filled yelp and fell to the floor, a knife sticking out of his side. Kali could not move as they made their way to her. They were at ease, carefree, as they surrounded her. Still she did not move.

"So you're the pet?" One spoke tauntingly. The other two sneered.

"Well, orders are orders. Have some fun, get rid of the body. Are you going to fight, pet? It would make this so much more fun."

Kali blinked at the one speaking, no reaction in her expression. Her eyes trailed back to Harley, who lay horribly still on the kitchen floor. She did not resist, moved like a zombie, as they pulled her fro the couch and began shoving her towards the shattered door. She walked over the fallen pieces of glass barefoot, eyes never leaving Harley. Her mind finally kicked in, and it came in screaming.

In a flash, Kali was on the floor, picking up a long jagged piece of glass. Even as it cut deep into her hand, she swung it, slashing across the eyes of one of the men. She twisted, breaking free of the grip of another, and plunged the glass into his face. It pulled back out only halfway before snapping off. The third was on her, knife flying at her chest. She swung her hand, blood flying from the bleeding wound, blinding him.

She slashed his throat open, and he fell to his knees, gurgling, clutching frantically as his blood gushes out with every beat of his heart. She collected the fallen knife from the floor, turning on the other two. She cut their throats in a moment. She stood there, looking at her bloody hands, at all the blood surrounding her. She was not afraid, not stunned. She only felt the fire rage, its warmth, its burning satisfaction, filling her veins.

She dropped beside Harley, touching him carefully. His eyes twitched. She had to get him to a vet, fast. She went to grab a blanket, to use to carry him, when she heard a slow, small applause fill the large space. A shadow stood at the other door, slowly approaching.

A woman, slight and tiny compared to Kali's height and curves, walked into the light of the kitchen. There was approval in her eyes, one Kali didn't understand. She looked at the three fallen attackers with a scowl, before turning her smiling gaze back to Kali.

"Well, I most certainly did not expect that." She said lightly, leaning against the kitchen counter.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Kali spat, kneeling next to Harley as he let out a low whine.

"Your pet is running out of time, so this will have to be brief. I am Talia al Ghul, commander of the League of Shadows. Bane and I are close friends. I came here to kill you, so he would let go and focus on the task at hand. It's rather cruel, what you did to him. Making him second guess his only goal in life. Anyhow, I underestimated the situation, and you. I think you would be interested in joining our cause." Talia spoke smoothly, pulling the blanket from the couch hat Kali had been going for earlier.

"What cause?" Kali questioned as Talia knelt on the other side of Harley, rolling the blanket up close beside him.

"To teach the world a lesson. To show the world how poisonous hope can be. To make it pay for the cruelty innocent people like us have suffered." She spoke, emotions running through her voice.

"To have purpose again." She spoke more softly.

"What do I need to do?" Kali asked.

"You will be taught the necessary skills to survive our cause. To be one of many weapons enforced. And, you will have the chance to see Bane again. And your father. I'm sure he mentioned Gotham City?" She questioned as she carefully lifted Harley, and Kali pulled the blanket under him.

"The man, Batman, killed my father there not long ago. He is our target, his city our victim. Join us, and know the world will remember the lesson we taught it, forever."

Kali sat still for a moment, and the fire roared in her ears. To make the world pay.

"I'll do it."

**Sorry it was so short, but as I said, it has its purpose. Reviews please!**


	16. Why So Serious

**Hey guys, hate to do this to you, but RL is crazy busy right now. I don't wanna keep you waiting, so instead of one giant chapter, I'll give you a little piece for now. Hopefully I'll have more time this weekend. Thank you so much to everyone following this story!  
Disclaimer: Don't own Bane or any TDKR related content. Kali Blake is mine.**

Kali followed the security guard down the hallway silently. Howls, shrill laughter, and moans echoed from the inner cells of the asylum. Harley was alright, but Talia made Kali find him a new home. She couldn't be there for Harley anymore, and it broke her heart, but she had to do this. What else was left?

Talia had arranged for Kali to go to Gotham, and had pulled a few strings. Now, she was about to come face to face with her father. The guards didn't ask questions when she arrived at the gate. Talia had a lot of pull in this city.

Kali felt her heart pounding unmercifully as the officer came to a door, marked Interrogation room 2. He opened the door and stepped aside for her to go in.

His back was to her, staring at the two way mirror as she slowly entered the room. She nearly jumped when the door faintly clicked behind her. He let out a deep breath, almost a growl. Here he was, the psycho that terrorized a city; her father.

His hair was sandy colored mess, long and dirty. As Kali walked around the table to sit at the chair across from him, he looked up at her. Their eyes locked as she slowly sat down. He smirked, accentuating the gruesome scars on his face.

"Well, hello dollface." He sneered, leaning back in his chair.

Kali's eyes darted over him, trying to really take it in. This man was her father, and he didn't now his daughter, whom he'd loved so much her loss had driven him to madness, sat in front of him. She had almost hoped he would remember her, recognize her, when he saw her. Clearly not.

"You some new shrink come to poke at my brain?" He asked with a laugh.  
"No." Kali replied firmly. She tried a few times to speak, but her lips wouldn't make the words.

"Oh, a new tactic? Ok, I'll play." He said with a smile.

Kali tried, but still could not make herself speak. Now that she was here, she had no idea what to say.

"Play with me!" He suddenly snarled, startling her.

"I'm not a shrink!" Kali burst out angrily.

He put his hands on the table, leaning towards her slightly.

"You'll have to do better than that. You're not the first to try this out."

Kali leaned forward fully, letting the light fall onto her face fully, meeting his gaze.

"Ohhh." He moaned, flicking his tongue to the side. "Such a pretty face. And that hair... Oh." He began to laugh, deep and slow at first and rising until it was a high cackling laughter as he studied her face.

"I see what they're trying to do. Bring in a look-a-like of my wife, try to make me crack that way. Clever. But they messed up. Her eyes were blue, and yours..." His face suddenly went blank as his pupils dilated slightly, and he glared at her.

"As I recall, you don't remember anything about yourself. But you remember your wife?" Kali asked slowly. Fine, she would play into the shrink role.

The Joker glared at her for a long time, occasionally flicking his tongue, breathing heavily as he tried to control his anger. Damn. She'd gotten something out of him. Maybe it was the fact that she so closely resembled Ayla.

"Do you know how I got these scars?" He asked after a moment.

She smiled sadly. "Of course I do." She answered.

He didn't like that answer. He told a different story every time, each as bizarre as the one before it. Car crash, barbed wire, self mutilation, abusive parents. He had them all. So how could she assume to know the story?

"Oh. Do tell me then, because I can't seem to remember. How did I get these scars?"

"Your thug gang gave them to you after you double crossed them by robbing a bank they considered theirs, after they killed your wife." Kali answered firmly, gaze never leaving his. She was in awe, as if she were looking into her own eyes.

The Joker began to laugh, expecting some bullshit, but suddenly froze.

They'd really gone digging if they'd found that information. After all, only two people still alive knew his identity, and he had personally destroyed the police records that described what had happened that day.

"You never did introduce yourself. Rude." The Joker prompted, crossing his arms.

For a long moment, she looked into his eyes, taking a slow, deep breath.

"My name is Kali Blake. I'm your daughter."

He remained still, eyes cutting into her, before he let out a blood curdling laugh. It echoed off the walls of the room, nearly deafening her. He bent over at the waist, resting his head on the table as his laughter died down to a desperate giggle as he tried to catch his breath. Once he did, he slowly sat back up, face serious.

"Now, that's not nice. Pretending to be a dead person. Not nice at all." He growled, cracking a lop sided grin.

"I can prove it." Kali said, trying to sound sure of herself. Could she make him believe her?

"Oh, can you? Well, please, go on." The Joker said, waving a hand.

"When I was old enough, the people who ran the orphanage I lived in gave me a bracelet. It was one for a baby, really small and silver. I was wearing it when I was brought there. That's how they knew what my name was. My first name was not in any reports made by the police, and none of that thug gang even knew you had a baby until they came and killed your wife. I have the scar to prove I was there that day." Kali said, voice growing stronger and louder. "And you can't deny I look just like her, your wife, but I have _your _eyes."

His smirk slowly disappeared as he looked at her. And suddenly it was as if a crack had split down his face. He seemed to crumple for a moment, sagging again against the table with his head down, and let out a long groan. He remained that way for minutes as Kali again lost the words she wanted to speak. She waited.

Slowly, he sat back up, and his expression made Kali's hair stand on end. It was similar to the look Bane had given her, one of a predator staring down his prey. He became very rigid, his muscles, which had seemed so small and irrelevant, now bulged. He was a lot stronger than he let himself look.

"My dear... why so serious?" He questioned, spitting the words at her.

In the next second he had stood, and Kali realized he had somehow gotten free of the handcuffs securing him to the table. In a flash of speed he had jammed his chair under the door handle, and he slowly turned, that same look on his face. She was trapped.

Kali jumped to her feet, moving opposite him, trying to keep the table between them as they slowly circled the room. Suddenly he had gracefully jumped over the table, and with speed and strength pinned her to the wall before she could defend herself. One hand clamped tight under her jaw, forcing her to look at him as the other held her flat by the shoulders.

"Let's see this scar of yours then, shall we?" He taunted, and pressing his body against hers, removed his hand from her shoulder and shoved her hair back.

She remained perfectly still as he stared, his breath suddenly ragged as his thumb slowly brushed over the silver mark. His grip on her jaw relaxed slightly as he looked back down at her. His eyes were wide, and then she saw it. The click.

"How?" He breathed, taking a step back, not touching her as if she had burned him suddenly.

"You went crazy. You didn't recognize me, you thought I was dead. I don't know. I was sent to an orphanage far away, to protect me from the people who tried to hurt you, and because you were going to jail for a long time."

"Why are you here? Why did you come?" He asked, pacing to the other side of the room.

"Well, partly because you're my father and I'm your daughter. We're family. And also... well, that part comes later."

He stared at her, skeptical. Banging erupted from the door, alerting them that the guards were trying to get in. Suddenly he moved towards her again, but she wasn't afraid. He leaned in very close, and suddenly wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Tell me." He whispered, hiding his lips against her shoulder.

Kali realized there must be people listening, and even if Talia had gotten her in here, she couldn't be sure everyone could be trusted.

"Soon, Gotham is going down. It will be completely destroyed. One of the steps is breaking everyone out of this asylum, in the next few months. Be ready." Kali whispered back.

He nodded once, and then gave an extra squeeze. Just one. Then he was against the far wall, hands pressed against the glass of the mirror as the door flung open, the chair flying across the room. Three guards rushed in, and in a moment the Joker was back in cuffs and being roughly removed. A fourth guard came over, looking her over for injuries.

"Are you alright miss?" He asked.

"Perfectly fine."

**Reviews please!**


	17. The Siren Calls

**Thank you all for the follows, favorites, and reviews! I'm glad you are all enjoying my writing. Here's another for you! *Thor voice* ANOTHER!  
Just letting you all know, I'm probably going to mess up the time frame in this compared to how it is in the movie. I apologize but we'll just pretend its accurate :)**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Bane or any TDKR content, Kali Blake is mine.**

Kali followed Talia down a labyrinth of tunnels as they went deeper into the underground of Gotham City. Talia had first taken Kali on a tour of the city, revealing just how poisoned and decaying the city truly was. Now, Kali was about to meet the League of Shadows, and become one of them. Talia told her that she would be trained here, and in the meantime she was to find recruits to help with the many million tasks needed to accomplish their goal. It was Kali's goal now too.

Talia informed Kali that Bane would not be in Gotham for quite some time, as he was working on details far from home.

"Focus on your training. You'll need it. The time is coming when the fight is all that will be left."

Kali suddenly heard a rumble ahead, and wondered if it were some freak earthquake, but it stopped, and no tremors could be felt. Low murmuring voices gained volume as they seemed to reach the lowest level of the sewers and service tunnels. Then, they were at a crudely made doorway that opened into a vast chamber. Rushing water drowned out much of the sound, but everywhere Kali could see men working, drilling at the walls.

"Above us is a warehouse full of the Bat's weapons. We will use his weapons against him." Talia said simply, leading Kali into a lower level of the cavern.

Three men jumped to their feet as they approached, all standing tall and stiff and at attention.

"Kali, these will be your trainers. They will teach you strength, skill, power, and the ability to destroy any enemy put before you. You will do as they say. Follow their orders, and serve me well." Talia said, placing a hand on Kali's shoulder.

Kali nodded, ready for this. She was ready to stop being weak, to stop being a victim. The fire raged on.

**6 months later**

Bane grunted as the plane landed roughly in a field not far from Gotham City. He had in tow his small group of men, and the Russian nuclear physicist, Pavel, his mission having gone successful. He had loved the entire part of playing a helpless captive, and he had nearly laughed at the faces the men had made when he had described his plane, to use one plane to get to another. It had been a highly risky plan, one that involved a lot of skill.

It was nearing sundown. Once night fell, they would go under the city, where Talia's men had been hard at work planting bombs and digging under the warehouse that held the Batman's toys. Talia also told Bane she had a surprise for him. He wondered what on Earth it could be.

As he exited the plane and approached the car waiting for them, Barsad got out. There was an expression on his face, something between hesitance, grief, and apprehension. Dread maybe?

"Brother, why so distraught? Has something gone wrong?" Bane asked.

Barsad shook his head. "No, everything is going as expected. I have some bad news for you."

The last time they had spoken, Bane's mouth had suddenly had a mind of its own, and he had asked Barsad to discretely check on Kali, to make sure she was alright. She had been an excruciatingly constant, present thought for the past 6 months.

"What is it?" He asked.

Barsad placed a hand heavily on Bane's shoulder. "She was not there. She has not been there for quite some time. It looks as though there was an attack of some kind. The glass door was shattered, and it looks like it was roughly cleaned up, but there were blood stains... I fear someone went after her. I have not found a trace of her, and I exhausted all my resources." He looked scared of telling Bane this news, scared of his reaction.

Bane remained completely still, his eyes fixed on the top button of Barsad's shirt. He let out the slightest of sighs, and stepped back from under Barsad's hand.

"That is unfortunate." Bane murmured, turning back to the plane to make sure the doctor and his men were coming, along with the equipment they had obtained.

Without another word they got into the car and drove silently into the city. And though Bane seemed impassive on the news he had received, Barsad had witnessed it. The slightest tremor under his hand, the flash of sorrow in Bane's eyes. Maybe there was some tiny human part inside the animal?

Bane hauled the doctor along the tunnels, impatient to get to the cavern, their established home base, and meet with Talia. The old man spent half the time rambling on in Russian. Bane really needed to learn that language. Ahead, the rumbling murmur of many voices greeted him. He stepped into the cavern, and was pleased with the progress.

He brought the doctor down to the lower levels, where he found an office like area along with a row of holding cells and rooms. Bane waited only a moment before Talia emerged from one of the rooms, a wide smile on her face. She embraced him for only a second before motioning for him to lead the doctor to one of the holding cells. A few men occupied the others, more than likely recruits who, once learning the final goal of their tasks, had changed their mind. They needed breaking in, and if not, they were probably executed.

Bane looked around at all the men, most appearing to be street rats and wayward teens. He was impressed by the numbers.

"I see you have had much success." Bane commented.

"I have a surprise for you." Talia burst out, sounding impatient and excited.

Bane raised an eyebrow as she handed him a heavy, thick, paper wrapped block. Carefully, he peeled away the paper to see a plastic box with a solid steel colored brick inside.

"What is this?" Bane asked curiously, slowly turning the box in his hands.

"It's called Venom. It's made of a very rare combination of substances. It has the unique ability to block any nerves that send pain signals, without paralyzing the body, and you can still feel things, just not pain. You only need a slight powder in each of your chambers mixed with water, and it doesn't need to be injected. You can breath in the vapors from it. I even brought tools to adjust your mask." Talia said, smiling.

Bane couldn't help but grin under the mask, pleased by this news. Talia had mentioned some time ago of trying to find a more effective treatment for his pain. This was perfect. Immune to pain... that would come in handy.

There was suddenly a disturbance above, and a group of young boys, most barely in their mid teens, entered the cavern, staring about them in amazement. New recruits, clearly. They filtered through the doorway, seemingly being guided by someone behind them. But no one followed them in as they walked towards a few men that went to greet them.

"I see you've found someone who has skills at finding fresh meat." Bane commented lightly.

Talia laughed slightly, a sarcastic sound that caused him to raise an eyebrow. He did not ask.

Kali walked with ease down the streets of Gotham, a slight smile on her face as she looked around at everything. Besides the few cities she'd visited before she was abducted in India, this was incredible. All the shops and fancy buildings and restaurants. They had no idea how little any of this would mean. Talia said Bane should be back any day now, and soon everything would begin.

Kali didn't know if she actually wanted to see Bane. After all, he had left after they had been together. _Used you and threw you away. Worthless little bitch. _Her conscious was especially nasty, knowing he was coming back. Part of her missed him deeply, the man who had gone to Hell to save her and bring her home, got her a house, and even looked after her dog. Another part wanted to cut his throat and watch him bleed to death. That part of her kept the fire raging.

She suddenly stopped, looking down an alley, and saw a group of boys sitting beside a dumpster. Ah, here was her calling at the moment. Kali sauntered up to them, placing a sweet smile on her face. Some of the boys and men she approached already knew her before she spoke nowadays. She'd been quite busy plucking the downtrodden from the streets of Gotham.

The boys looked up at her, some with dirty faces, others with filthy clothes. And she knelt down to their level.

"Do you boys need food, a warm bed, work?" She asked, meeting each and every one's gaze.

Some nodded, others didn't respond.

"Do you tire of the ease and luxury those fat rich pigs waste away?" She asked more angrily. They all nodded.

"Then come, come with me. I will bring you to a place where there is plenty food, water, and beds. You will work for these provisions, and be rewarded handsomely with the downfall of the rich rotten filth that pollute this city!"

There was a sudden dry laugh, and an old homeless man wandered out from behind the other side of the dumpster.

"I know you girl. I've seen you walking about, stealing poor souls from the streets. Don't you listen to this Siren boys. She's nothing but a trickster. Once she brings boys like you down under the city, you never come back. They're finding bodies every day, more than the usual, floating in the river. There's nothing but death waiting for you." He croaked.

Kali stood slowly, scowling at the old man. She had had the boys, they were eating from her hands, and now... she saw hesitation. Fear. Kali turned towards him, walking slowly towards him.

"Have you not heard what I said? The same applies to you. Food, beds, warmth. Work. Revenge. Is living up here in the streets really the better option?"

"Just because we're not the best off, gives us no right to murder people because they have money. That makes us no better than a criminal." He spat at Kali's feet.

She scuffed her foot to the side, wiping away the glob of spit that landed on it, and moved closer to the old man. She stared him down for a moment, and with one swift move grasped his head, lifted, and twisted. The satisfying snap filled the alley. The boys let out sounds of fear, and stared at her as she whirled back on them.

"You have a choice, boys. My offer, or his."

The boys rose to their feet, and Kali knew they were hers.

**Reviews please!  
I was also wondering if some of you might be interested in reading another of my stories, based on the movie Thor/The Avengers, called "Ashes to Ashes". I'm trying to get more readers for it so I can figure out how to improve it. Much appreciated!**


	18. The Beginning of the End

**Hey guys! Unfortunately, I may not have access to the internet for the next week, so I'm putting this up to hopefully hold you over. Enjoy!  
Disclaimer: Do not own Bane or any TDKR content, Kali Blake is mine.**

The end had begun.

The city was isolated, cut off from the world. Citizens ran the streets, taking claim to the poisonous spoils of the rich. The prisons and asylums had been emptied, and death clung to the air. Winter had come.

Kali had laid claim to a small apartment building just outside the major districts of the city, a small four story one. She called it home. Her services for recruitment were over, and Talia had released her. She was free to do as she saw fit now. She knelt at the edge of the roof, watching the street below, as a patrol squad drove by. She enjoyed the games they played, trying to figure out which truck was carrying the bomb.

Kali had wondered, at first, if the explosion was going to hurt. Talia had said if Kali were anywhere near the site of the explosion, she would be vaporized before she knew it had happened. Gone, just like that. Kali decided she would ask Talia where the bomb would be when the day came, to make sure she was close. The cleansing fire, one that would overpower the monstrous rage inside her.

Talia said she would not tell Bane she was in Gotham. Kali was the one to make that choice. And though Kali spent most days on the streets of the city, she'd never seen him once. Sighing, she shuddered against a frigid breeze and went back into the building. She had secured it in every way possible, but no one bothered trying to get in. She'd made it clear that the building was hers, and anyone who tried to enter would die.

Bane was utterly bored. He had enjoyed weeks and weeks of watching the city crumble, watching the people turn on each other. He had loved every minute of it. But it was getting old. The same things happened every day; death, crime, people running about like rats. He prowled the streets, looking for something to do. He'd had fun, breaking the Bat, but part of him wished he had kept him around. Constant fights would have kept him preoccupied.

Bane decided to explore the more residential parts of the city, curious on what destruction he would find there.

Kali explored one of many gutted mansions, curious to see what remained of the luxuries of living in such a house. Furniture was tossed about, some smashed. Paintings and photos torn from walls and smashed. Such a shame. Kali heard a crunch under her feet, and looked down upon a shattered chandelier. She picked up a few pieces of the crystal, and walked over to the window to hold them up to the light.

As rainbows danced from the rare winter sun, Kali noticed someone had stopped on the street below and was looking up at her. With a start, she realized it was her father. Another person she had not seen since the beginning of the end. At first, she had half expected him to leave the city, before remembering they had blown the bridge.

Kali put the crystal in her pocket and went down to the street below, where he waited, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his signature purple coat. The Joker was back, makeup and all.

"I'd heard you were part of all this madness." He said lightly, looking about at the debris left on the road from things tossed out windows.

"Are you proud of me? I helped bring this city to its knees, just as you nearly did not so long ago." Kali teased.

She'd never really thought of that; continuing her father's plans.

He grunted in reply as they began walking down the streets, curiously looking about, not speaking, until they reached Kali's home.

"Where have you been hiding these past weeks?" Kali asked.

"Here, there, everywhere. I was looking for the Bat, but I found out your masked friend went and got rid of him. Very irritating. I had hoped to get out of this place, start havoc somewhere else. I didn't realize I'd be part of the body count." He rambled.

"We're all part of the body count. Even the ones that started this will fall... I live here. Come by and visit if you're not too busy causing as much havoc as you can while you can." Kali said, feeling awkward for the first time in a long time. What to say to her father, knowing the end was coming?

"Certainly." He said in his half growl, half laugh voice.

They did not say goodbye, only parted ways as Kali locked the door to the building behind her.

Bane had seen the Joker wandering about. Part of him did not like the man who had once claimed the city his playground, but he also respected him for what he had done in such little time. He had crippled the Bat for many years, left the city shuddering. The fact he was Kali's father may have been another reason he did not kill the clown. Kali...

_Dead. Dead because you left her. You should have known someone might try to find you, try to get to you._

Bane had, eve with Barsad's assurance, exhausted every resource trying to find her. No bodies, no reports, no trail. The money he had left her had remained untouched. He wondered what happened to Harley, too. He had to accept it; Kali was gone. It left him feeling hollow, especially the nights he lay in bed unable to sleep. All that innocence and beauty, destroyed because of him.

Bane roamed the empty halls of a hotel, and found himself on the roof, looking down over a stretch two blocks over of apartment buildings. Many had smashed windows, others were boarded up. Bane was about to turn to observe the other side when something bright flashed.

Kali stretched onto tiptoe, having tied the crystal pieces at random together to form a sun catcher of sorts. She enjoyed the light it splashed onto the floor. As she finally secured it, she glanced out the window and froze. There he was, standing on the roof of the hotel she had once thought of claiming. He was not looking in her direction, turning to move away, when he stopped and glanced right at her. She realized the crystals had caught his attention, and remained completely still, wondering if he could see her.

Bane watched as something flashed and glittered in the window of one of the apartments. Some decoration, obviously. Just then, a slight cloud passed over the sun, removing the bright reflection from the window for just a moment. Every nerve in Bane's body screamed to life, sending ice and fire over him all at once. Green eyes, black hair...

"Kali." He breathed.

She stood completely still, looking right back at him, her mouth slightly open. How was she here? Why was she here? In a second he had turned, and was running.

"He's coming for me." Kali breathed.

She suddenly smiled wildly. So, he wanted to chase her? She'd play. In moments Kali had on her boots and coat and was out the back door, running full speed down the alleys. She was still amazed at how much stronger, faster, and swifter she was, after all the brutal training she went through. Even though she was already three blocks away, she heard the sound of Bane smashing in the front door of the apartment building. She wondered how long it would take him to find her.

She slowed to a walk, glancing back every few seconds, waiting. Then she saw him, at a back window, as he searched the many rooms. He saw her. She was running again.

Bane wondered if he was imagining seeing her. The room he had seen her in was full of the smell of peppermint, a scent that had caused him to pause for one second as it brought back every vivid memory. She was here. He moved to the next room, and saw someone far off down an alley, looking back at him. She'd gotten far. Bane didn't bother going down two floors. He smashed open the window and jumped, landing solidly on his feet.

In a flash of hair she was running again, and he could see something was different... something very wrong. Civilians didn't run like that. What the hell?

**I**'**ll do my best to try and update over the week, but if not, soon! Reviews please!**


	19. Reflection

**Disclaimer: Don't own Bane or any TDKR related content. Kali Blake is mine.**

Bane was furious. He had used every single one of his well honed skills, and still he had lost her. He didn't lose civilians, _ever. _Yet something told him Kali wasn't just a civilian anymore. Suddenly everything made sense.

Talia had seemed a bit off since Bane got back. Every day when he returned to the cavern she seemed apprehensive, although she hid it well. She _knew _Kali was here. She had answering to do, but first Bane had to find Kali. He moved the mask slightly free from his face, just enough to smell the air better. He'd lost her. He retraced his steps slowly, watching for any movement around him as he prowled. Twenty minutes later, and still nothing.

Kali had nearly fallen when she quickly made a turn into a narrow side alley. She found a space between two brick columns that lined the back wall of what used to be a pizza place, and squeezed herself tight between them. She held her breath, and smiled when she heard Bane thunder by. It wouldn't be long before he came back. Kali saw a fire escape and climbed it up to the roof. Crouched low, she crept along the edge of the rooftop, watching as Bane stopped not far from where she was.

He slowly made his way back, passing her. Pleased with herself, she headed in the opposite direction, into the part of the city where everyone always seemed to be lurking about. She could hide well there.

Bane stalked into the cavern. The atmosphere shifted uncomfortably, and Talia looked up to see the anger burning in his eyes. She swallowed, part of her nervous, the other part relieved. She'd been waiting weeks for him to find Kali, waiting for his reaction. Anger, she had expected. But there was something else there, something that told her she was lucky he loved her or she'd be dead.

He came to a halt before her, his anger only showing in his eyes, as he crossed his arms.

"Why?"

The question was simple, but under it were many waves of confusion, anger... She would not lie to him.

"She proved herself worthy of joining our cause. She more than served our purpose. Without her, we'd have been struggling for recruits. I let her loose when her services were no longer required."

"You had her trained." Bane growled.

"This city is a dangerous place for weak people. I would think you'd appreciate me teaching her to defend herself."

"You brought her here to die with the rest of us. That is not the life I wanted for her. She's mine, you should have asked me-"

"She is not yours!" Talia burst out, and for the first time her jealousy and hatred for Bane's pet got out.

Bane stared her down, and she could see the pieces were coming together alarmingly fast. He had always had that talent.

"You tried to have her killed." Bane breathed.

The house, the blood... _she proved herself worthy..._

"I did what I thought was necessary." She said coldly.

Bane did not say another word. He went back to the surface, promptly killed three men, and then firmly decided he was going to find Kali.

Kali walked through a grocery store, picking up what was left of the food. Although they had supplies coming in every week, it went fast. The city was desperate, hungry, exhausted. Soon, it would be done.

Kali saw that her father had found men of his own, as she saw on a regular basis men running around with clown masks on. How much chaos could one cause in a city that was already defeated? Her father must have been bored. Kali was on high alert for Bane, knowing he'd probably never stop looking for her. She couldn't go back to the apartment now, and she was searching for a new place to stay.

She noticed a man lowering a note down a drainage pipe using fish wire. Probably some communication between him and the hundreds of men trapped under the city. Kali wondered if she should intervene, but then again, what did it matter? That's when she saw his face.

When she'd come to Gotham, she had searched records for any more information about that fateful day. This man had a striking resemblance to the man who had saved her, William Blake. This must be his son. She'd found, in her searching, that Blake and his wife had been killed not long after the man had saved her, and that their son had been sent to the orphanage. She left him to his business.

Kali scoped out many of the buildings, but many were occupied by far too many people for her comfort. She wanted somewhere alone. As she wandered the many streets, Bane had taken to the rooftops again, searching. Waiting.

Kali passed a street full of the rich luxury homes, but did not dare try to live in any one of them. They were raided constantly, and if someone was found living there, they shared the fate of the rich slobs who had lived their previously. A walk out onto the ice. Just down the street, a group of people came flooding out of one the homes. Kali recognized the clowns, and rolled her eyes. What shenanigans was her father getting into? Then she noticed the men had with them a group of civilians.

Five civilians total, looking miserable and ragged as they were dragged and shoved onto the street. Kali realize two were women, and one had a small child held tightly in her arms. Kali knew what the men planned to do with the women before they had a chance to act on such notions. Kali placed her small bag of groceries down on the steps beside her, and approached the group as rage fed the fire.

One turned and noticed her approaching, and got the attention of the others.

"Well hello there gorgeous. Come to join the party?" One sneered, coming close, reaching out to touch her.

With one swift move she snapped his wrist, and he screeched as he stumbled away from her. The others descended in a flurry of fists, and then they had guns. Kali had to move fast. It was over in two minutes.

Kali had just broken the neck of one, and twisted to finish the other, to find the barrel of his gun against her head. He held the gun in his other hand, and she had broken his dominant one completely. She had also broken his ribs. He grinned, breathing heavily, as he cocked the gun.

Bane heard a sudden explosion of gunfire not far from where he was currently searching, and he hopped from rooftop to rooftop in the direction of the sound. The firing ceased, only to be followed shortly after by a single shot that echoed loudly. A finishing shot. Bane came to a stop, looking down over a group of bodies. Then he saw the backs of two people hurriedly leaving down an alley. One was wearing an oddly purple coat... the Joker. The other was Kali.

So she'd met with her father after all. Bane decided to follow them from a distance. He would not lose her again.

Kali sat on a table, feeling dizzy as her head throbbed. The damn idiot's gun had gone off right next to her head, grazing her temple, and her eardrum had been damaged and had started bleeding.

"Pull your hair back." A voice instructed from behind her, and her father appeared holding a small red plastic box.

He pulled out a few gauze pads, some cotton balls, a tiny bottle of rubbing alcohol, a small tube of antibiotic gel, and some tape. He moved beside her, eyes squinting slightly as he prodded at the wound on her head.

"Luckily you won't need stitches, but this is going to scar." He said lightly, and then let out one of his feral chuckles. "It'll match the one on the other side."

Kali smiled slightly, but she was beginning to feel nauseous. Her balance had gone haywire. He put some alcohol on a cotton ball and with no hesitation wiped it over the graze. Kali hissed slightly as the burning pain added to her overall discomfort. He wiped at it again with a new one, and then smudged a layer of the antibiotic gel over the cut. Folding up a piece of gauze, he held it over the cut and then taped it in place.

"I can't do much for your ear." He said as he placed a cotton ball in her ear, and taped gauze over the entire thing. To keep the blood from getting everywhere.

"That's fine. I'll figure something out." Kali replied as he stepped away and put everything back in the box.

She was relieved her had been there. She had been trained to disarm someone holding a gun to her head, but the guy was already about to pull the trigger when she had turned. Lucky for her, the Joker was good with a gun.

Kali hopped down from the table, and nearly feel backwards as the floor seemed to bounce under her like a wave. Steady hands grabbed her by the shoulders and guided her to a couch. The Joker's current residence was plain, but he had managed to get the heat working, a rare luxury in a near powerless city.

"Take it easy, girl. It will take time before things settle in there." He said, lightly poking her forehead.

He put a glass of water in her hand before moving back into the kitchen. Kali leaned back, taking a few sips, and closed her eyes. Deep, calm breaths...

"Your masked friend followed us here." He said from somewhere behind her.

Kali sat up stiff, heart pounding. She wasn't ready for that, not now. She glanced through the windows around her.

"He's out there somewhere. But I don't think he's going to bother us. I have guards posted around anyways, we'd know if he was coming. I think you'd give him a run for his money." The Joker said with a smirk, sitting in an armchair across from her. He passed her two pills, Tylenol more than likely. She took them without a second thought.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands. He pinned her with one of those mesmerizing stares, and Kali couldn't help but shudder as she looked into her reflection.

"How much longer do we have, anyways? I think we have a week. Maybe two. Hmm?"

"I'm not sure. I'd have to find out. But it's coming soon." Kali replied as she began to feel suddenly, terribly drowsy. Shit.

"Sorry kiddo but you need to sleep, you're not going anywhere for a while." Her father said, getting up.

She fought the swelling darkness, but it was soothing and as she gave up and let it wash over her, she felt a blanket being thrown over her.

**Reviews please!**


	20. Confrontation

**Disclaimer: Don't own Bane or any TDKR related content. Kali Blake is mine.**

Kali awoke with a start. Her head still hurt, but the nausea and dizziness had faded to an annoying buzz. Se sat up slowly, completely confused by her surroundings. She last remembered being on her father's couch. Now, she was on a bed in a dark, sparse bedroom. It was relatively cold, so she wrapped the blanket she had around her as she walked out.

She was not in the Joker's apartment. With a rush of panic, she realized she was in the apartment she had been staying in. How did she get here? She stood frozen, heart beating frantically. It was night. She'd been asleep far too long. Kali moved to the wall beside her and flicked the living room light on.

He leaned back in the armchair across from her, eyes closed, head back. Every nerve screamed run. A moment after the light came on, Bane's eyes snapped open, and he pinned her with a calculating glare. She dropped the blanket, took a step back, and took a defensive stance as he slowly rose to his feet. He did not move, and the silence blistered.

"What did you do to my father?" Kali growled.

"Nothing. We made an agreement. He gave me you in exchange for safe exit of the city."

Part of her knew the Joker would do anything to get out of the city. This was not his cause, after all. But somewhere deep inside, it stung to know he had given her up.

Bane suddenly took a step forward, and Kali switched into an offensive position. Her stance was perfect, muscles tight, eyes sharp despite the slight dilation from the drugs the Joker had given her. He raised an eyebrow at her, then smirked.

"Alright little one. Show me what you've got." He said.

Her eyes scanned over him quickly, slightly confused, before she seemed to pick a target, his neck, and then lunged forward. Bane was more than prepared, grinning at her rookie mistake. Giving away her point of attack.

As she came in, he raised his arms to catch the blow as her left hand clenched into a fist. However, as his arms came off, she suddenly angled to the side. In one simultaneous move she had moved under his arm, planting a solid punch to his chest. At the same time she had grabbed him and brought a knee swiftly up into his ribs, successfully knocking the breath out of him. Following through the move, she twisted behind him and delivered a hard kick to his lower spine. She was unexpectedly strong. He stumbled forward and spun, blocking a fist aimed for the side of his mask.

And for the next five minutes they destroyed the apartment, smashing furniture and putting holes in the walls. Bane was becoming equally awed and infuriated as she managed to land a few hits while he couldn't touch her. He didn't want to hurt her of course, but prove that he was still better tha her.

He finally saw him opportunity ad went for it. As she laded a punch to his ribs, he caught her arm, and with a single angled tug he heard the pop he was looking for. Kali cried out, stumbling away from him, clutching at her dislocated shoulder. She glared at him.

"Are you finished?" Bane asked, crossing his arms.

Kali was panting, ad he found himself slightly breathless as well. She did not respond, only moved over to the half crumpled couch. She wedged her limp had in between the cushion and the backing, ad with a sudden jerk twisted ad shoved her shoulder down, putting her arm back in place with a grunt. She stood tall, strong. He had ot beaten her yet.

"I'm tired of playing these games Kali. You've shown off enough." He said tiredly.

"Shown off? You haven't seen anything yet." She growled, and he could see he had hit a nerve of some sort.

From seemingly nowhere she held a smooth, slender knife with a black blade and silver handle. She was at him in an instant, slashing and jabbing. Bane had no choice but to get rough.

As she swung the blade at his chest, he caught her arm, twisted her around, forcing her arms across her chest, and slammed her into the nearest wall three times before she dropped the blade. He turned and spun her away from him, stepping onto the blade to prevent her from trying to retrieve it.

"What do you want with me?!" She snarled, picking up a broken leg from a coffee table and hurling it at him.

He blocked it to the side, splintering it onto the floor. She threw a few more debris at him as she increased the space between them.

"I want to know why you disobeyed me by coming here? Did you think I wanted you to become a killer like me?" He growled angrily.

"Until I met Talia I had no idea what or who you really were. And I came here because it's my choice. I'm not your property! As I recall, you left me without a single explanation. You clearly weren't interested in me anymore, once you got what you wanted." She spat.

Bane's fury burst open, and with an enraged snarl he was across the room. He grabbed her by the throat, lifting her and pinning her to the wall behind her with a single hand. She grunted as she struggled against him, kicking at his stomach.

"I did not leave because of that. I left because I wanted you to live the life you deserved. I was needed here anyways, you would have never see me again. But you came here looking for me anyways." He spoke so darkly, it sent chills down Kali's spine.

"I didn't... come here... for you. I came... for myself." She choked, pulling at his hand.

"You knew that all that waited for you here was death." He growled, slowly returning her to her feet but still keeping her pinned.

"Death is all I have." She replied quietly.

He stared at her for a long moment before he jerked away from her, pacing to the other side of the room, running a hand over his head. She remained against the wall, glaring at him. He turned back to her.

"Your father is leaving the city in a hour. He wants you to meet him, under the bridge. I want you to go with him." Bane said firmly.

She opened her mouth, clearly about to snarl something at him, but he cut her off.

"The bomb is going to blow in a week exactly. Get out of the city, go with your father." And that was it. He was out the door and gone before she could argue.

The Joker stood at the edge of the frozen river, looking from time to time impatiently at his watch. Suddenly, a few of Bane's thugs arrived, and wordlessly dropped a few duffle bags before quickly leaving. Joker's men took out the needed equipment from the bags; some stolen grappling guns, from the Bat. The men began to set up the guns as the Joker looked around, still waiting.

When Bane had easily incapacitated the Joker's guards, he had sat waiting in the living room, a gun hidden in his coat. Bane had come in calmly, and offered his proposition. The Joker knew he wouldn't take no for a answer. And though something told him Kali did not want to be near the masked man, he had heard stories through the proverbial vines that Kali was Bane's "pet". Surely she was better off with Bane than awkwardly stuck with him.

Suddenly a slim figure came through the darkness, and upon removing their hood he knew it was Kali. She walked up to him, surveying the men as they prepared for their escape.

"I hope you're good at acrobatics." She commented lightly.

"I'm a clown. Close enough." He replied.

They stood in silence, looking over the progress.

"You know, you really should come with me. The only thing left here in the grand finale." He said.

Kali sighed deeply.

"I know. But this is my cause now, too. I'm here to see it finished. Besides, I have some unfinished business here." She said, smiling slightly at him.

Soon, the men were ready to go, and his window of escape was shrinking by the minute as the sun got closer to rising. He turned to her then, looking her over.

"You look so much like your mother." He said sadly, playing absently with a strand of her hair.

"And I have your eyes." She replied with a smile.

"That, you do... Well kiddo, if you ever change your mind, you'll be able to find me. Just keep an eye out in the news. I'll be getting a new playground soon." He said with one of his vicious grins.

She nodded, about to take a step back, when he suddenly grabbed her, pulling her into a crushing hug. He planted a swift kiss to her forehead, before quickly turning and going to his men. Kali smiled and watched as they propelled themselves up and under the bridge, quickly making their way across, until she couldn't see them anymore. She went back home, part of her knowing she would ever see her father again.

**Reviews please!**


	21. Lover's Fight

**Disclaimer: Do not own Bane or any TDKR related content. Kali Blake is mine.**

Kali returned to the apartment, too weary to care that Bane was waiting outside for her. She ignored him completely as she moved around him, pulling the key to the front door out of her pocket. The fury Bane kept under control rolled off him in heated waves. She sighed heavily as he followed her inside.

"What do you want?" She asked in a clipped tone, spinning around on him.

There was that predatory look, the one that had not so long ago terrified her to the core. He couldn't scare her anymore. Now, she rolled her eyes and moved up the stairs. She walked into her apartment, getting irritated as he continued to follow her. Silent.

She sighed in disgust, turning on him again, pinning him with a menacing glare. Bane only chuckled.

"So ferocious." He teased.

"What do you want Bane?" Kali growled angrily, hands curling into fists.

"You were supposed to leave with your father. Since you have stayed, it is only proper that I ensure you don't get killed before the grand finale." He said, sounding bored.

His fury from earlier seemed to have evaporated. He clearly had some trick up his sleeve, but Kali as too tired to care. Her head was beginning to throb. She shoved past him, stepping open broken furniture, and went into the kitchen, digging through a collection of pill bottles in the cabinet. She found the one she was looking for and swallowed two of the oval blue pills without water.

She wordlessly headed for her chilly bedroom, and slammed the door behind her. But the door didn't slam as Bane pushed his way into the room. Now Kali was pissed.

"Get out." She snarled at him.

"Or what?" He asked, crossing his arms.

Bane realized he had pushed her too far when suddenly everything in her seemed to explode into a raging inferno, and she was at him faster than he could react. In a blur of speed she had landed a few furious hits straight to his face, right at his mask. He stumbled back, staring at her as she struck him again, smashing open her fist on the sharp metal of his mask. She was unfazed as blood gushed from her hand, as she continued to attack him.

And suddenly Bane realized she had gotten him into the hall, and then she slammed the door in his face. A second later he heard her shove the bed against the door, and only silence followed.

Kali crumpled against the mattress, her adrenaline dying quickly as the pain meds first drowsy effects took place. She slumped into the bathroom, holding her bleeding hand under the icy water for a few minutes. With her other hand she searched the drawers under the counter until she found a large roll of gauze and tape. Carefully, she wrapped the wound with a piece of gauze and hoped it would stop gushing.

Bane stood frozen outside the door. He knew Kali knew he could get through the door like it was made of paper. He listened as she went to tend to her hand, and sighed heavily, leaning against the wall. His fury simmered, but he would not let himself lose control again. He had seen the bruises he left on her, and he hated himself for it.

This was no longer the innocent girl he had fallen in love with. He had inadvertently created this girl, this trained killer. He had altered her fate. Because of him, the Kali he knew was dead and gone, and this Kali would die for a cause that had never really been her own. If only he had just left when he should have._ His love had poisoned her._

Kali awoke with a groan. Her head hurt, her hand hurt, she was sore... Kali sat up stiffly, eyeing the door next to her. She listened, and heard nothing. Maybe he finally left. Carefully, she pulled the bed away from the door and cracked it open. Cautiously she went into the living room, scowling at what she saw. Everything had been set back to where it should be, the broken pieces sitting in a neat pile in the corner. Bane lay awkwardly on the collapsed couch, breathing so light even from this distance she could barely hear it.

Kali went into the kitchen, finding some aspirin for her headache. She drank the last of the orange juice in the fridge, and sighed heavily as she sat at the kitchen table. She was out of food, again, and she remembered she had left her bag of groceries when she had encountered the Joker's men. She was starving. Going back to her bedroom, she eyed Bane warily. He had not moved yet.

She had very little clothing, and it wasn't the warmest. She pulled off the clothes she had on, covered in blood stains and damp from the cold and sweat. She dug through her small bag, trying to find a heavier shirt to wear, when she heard the door behind her creak open.

Kali turned slowly and Bane looked over her, eyes blazing with anger. Kali was covered in scars, not just from her kidnapping, but most were recent and clearly from her training. What was once soft and lean was now sharp angles and hard muscle. So damaged, so frozen and cold... Bane moved towards her, catching both fists as she tried to fend him off.

There was no panic, no fear in her eyes. Just anger and hatred. He pressed her gently against the wall, staring into her eyes, those mesmerizing green eyes that cut straight to his soul. He held her there, arms held above her head, and just stared into her eyes for a moment. Then he leaned forward, closing his eyes, pressing his forehead to hers.

"Forgive me." He whispered.

She stilled, and he felt her ragged breathing calm as she ceased to struggle against his hold. For what felt like an eternity, they stayed that way. Bane could not look into her eyes again and see that hatred that burned just for him. With a single word, he would leave and never see her again. He would live his final days wishing for something he had forsaken.

Kali smoothly slipped her arms free of his hands as he pressed them against the wall on either side of her, head dropped, eyes closed. She reached to the sides of the mask and found the clasps, and gently undid them. She pulled the mask free carefully and dropped it to the floor.

"Bane." She breathed.

Slowly, he met her gaze, and she looked at him for a long time. Cool fingers traced his hideous scars. There, he caught a glimpse of the Kali he loved, the sweet girl who saw past his scars. She mixed and melded into the hardened Kali before him, but she was still Kali. His love had poisoned her, but he loved her just the same.

They both broke at the exact same second, and their kiss was enough to melt glaciers.

**Reviews please!  
**Also, let me know if there was a specific line in this chapter you liked :)


	22. Death is Waiting

**I have to apologize guys, I have a huge writer's block. This is really short, I'm trying to get around it. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Do not own Bane or any TDKR related content. Kali Blake is mine.**

Kali had managed to somewhat fix the shower. The heated water came in spurts every other ten seconds. It was better than nothing. Today she didn't mind the cold shocks at all. She had a small smile on her face.

She dressed in some clean clothing and went into the bedroom, where Bane was still napping, tangled in the sheets. She crawled over him, resting her arms on his chest and her chin on her folded arms, looking at him as he blinked back sleepily. He reached for a strand of her damp hair and smelled it, smiling himself.

"Peppermint. My favorite." He murmured.

He slipped his mask back into place, and then gently stroked the side of her face. She put her head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

A while later Kali got up and stretched. She was tired but she didn't want to sleep. 6 days and counting.

"I'm going to get some food. I'll be right back." She said, pulling on her coat.  
"Not without me you're not." Bane replied, sitting up instantly.  
"Oh please. Have I not proven to you I can fend for myself?" Kali teased, rolling her eyes at him.

He pinned her with a heavy stare, and she laughed. She actually laughed. For the first time in months. He smirked as he got up and pulled his clothing on, including the heavy armored vest he wore at all times. Kali groaned as they got to the front door.

"I'm so tired of snow." She growled, glaring at the heavy flakes that were falling outside.

They wandered along the streets together, ignoring any panicked stares they got from civilians. Kali found, as she had suspected, her bag of groceries from the day previous was gone. Bane and she explored numerous stores, but found a lack of any real food, just old bread, expired chips, etc.

"Well... we could always go back to where I've been staying. I have some food there." Bane murmured, wondering if he should chance it. Talia might be there. That would be interesting.

"Better than nothing." Kali replied, her stomach snarling in agreement.

Down under the city they went, into the vast cavern, now with a hole in the ceiling where the Bat's weapons had been. Bane moved to the area he had been staying in, and pulled the cooler box out from under his bed. He had very few pouches of food left. Not that it mattered. He held one full of fruit up to Kali, who raised an eyebrow but made no comment as she took it.

They ate in silence, yet there was always a wave of heavy electricity between them. Magnetic. Bane couldn't take his eyes off her. The cold had never suited her, he noted. She had lost the glow from the summer, and she looked exhausted. Her demons had been eating her alive.

When they were finished they went back to explore the city more, to find what they could to last til the end. Kali stopped at one of the many clothing department stores, in search of a heavier coat and some clothes in better shape than the few she owned. She found suitable items and changed as Bane kept watch. Even if he was the leader of the chaos that had taken Gotham, everyone had gotten to the point that it did not matter who you were. If they could kill you, they would.

Together they traveled the streets, silent and crisp from the heavy falling snow. The city was only a shadow now, a skeleton made so brittle the slightest breath would break it to dust. Their cause was already complete. Now, the only thing left was the final breath that would wipe clean the city of shadows.

Bane looked to Kali, who looked at the city around her curiously. But that was all it was. Empty curiosity. Bane felt something, deep down inside, something he had never quite experienced before. Regret. He had reached for her, for Kali, the light in his ever-present dark. He had never intended to bring her down into the dark with him. Then again, he supposed, it was not so lonely there in the dark with her beside him.

Part of him would always wonder what life they could have had. _What if. _His conscious was ever cruel to him most days.

Bane's obligation, his love, for Talia had brought him here. But what love was it, between two old friends, that would remove Bane from a life he could have called his own?

Kali caught his stare and blinked, uncomfortable under the trouble in his gaze. She wanted no more confrontation with Bane. Only peace, and what little remnants of joy she could get before the end. Kali missed Harley, and hoped he was being as spoiled as she had always done to him.

They walked quietly back to Kali's apartment, and sat at the large floor-to-ceiling window, watching the snow cover everything.

They were bored, they were tired. Yet they had each other, for the final days of their lives, and that was all they needed to keep going. To the end. Death was waiting.

**Reviews please!**


	23. On the Other Side

**Disclaimer: Do not own Bane or any TDKR related content, Kali Blake is mine.**

**Ok everybody. This chapter is going to be a bit long, because I haven't updated recently, and because a lot needs to happen and I don't want to break it up into separate chapters. Enjoy, and thanks for waiting!**

The end had come.

Bane awoke in the dim grayness of morning, feeling Kali's warm body slumbering against his. For a while he just lay there, feeling her heart beat softly as she nuzzled against his chest, aware he was awake. After some time he carefully disentangled himself from her and went to the window. The sun glowed just over the horizon, greeting Gotham's final day.

Bane was about to return to bed, to spend just a little more time with Kali, when a light tap came at the door. Kali shot up in bed, instantly alert. Bane kept her still by holding out a single hand, and then went to the door. He cracked it just the slightest bit and found Talia waiting. He opened the door fully, letting her inside. Kali came to the doorway of the bedroom wrapped only in her blanket. She paused for the slightest of moments, then nodded at Talia silently and closed the bedroom door. Talia's face was taut with stress.

"What is it?" Bane asked quietly.

"He's back. Somehow the Bat came back." She growled.

"Impossible." Bane breathed.

"Clearly not. We must prevent him from finding the bomb. I want you to get him into City Hall. We'll kill him there, together." Talia said strongly.

Bane nodded. He was infuriated. How had the Bat escaped?

Kali was suddenly back, fully clothed.

"Shall I go out and see what he's planned?" She asked.

"Yes. Get as much information for me as you can and meet me and Bane at City Hall when you think you've heard enough." Talia said approvingly.

A few moments later and Bane was fully dressed, armor tight and ready. Kali was already heading for the door as he caught her by the arm. He pulled her tightly against him, resting his chin on top of her head. She squeezed back just as hard.

"Just a few more hours, and we will have succeeded." He breathed.

She looked up at him and smiled slightly. "Be careful. I'll see you soon." She said quietly, kissing him quickly on the jaw, before she disappeared.

Bane stood there for a long time, feeling the wave of what he had done wash over him.

Kali walked cautiously down the streets. The citizens had gotten more smart, more violent, since this all began. Even she, with all her training, could be overpowered if the mob were large enough. Everywhere she went, she heard whispers of the Bat. Nothing led to where he'd be. Then a new whisper began. That somehow the men trapped below the city had been freed, and were gathering to assault Bane and his men. He'd made it clear to everyone he was waiting at City Hall.

Suddenly Kali saw Barsad a few blocks ahead, and he was clearly looking for her. She jogged to reach him as she noticed he looked somewhat stressed, something she had not seen in the man before. He caught her arm before she could speak, warning her with a single look not to speak. They quickly moved into the trashed lobby of a hotel lounge.

"Have you heard any news?" He asked warily, looking out into the street.

"Nothing of the Bat, but I think he freed the men under the city. I've been told they're gathering to charge City Hall." Kali answered, looking around, trying to find what threat Barsad was looking for. She did not sense any danger. "Barsad, what are you-"

Kali gasped as a sharp pain shot through her neck. A moment later a sharp metallic taste hit her tongue, and an icy sensation began to shoot over her body. Kali turned slowly to Barsad as he pulled a needle free of her neck

"Why?" She asked quietly as the edges of her vision began to flicker.

"Orders." Barsad answered apologetically.

Suddenly the floor seemed to be pulled out from underneath her feet. Shaking, Kali stumbled, trying to find her footing. Barsad quickly grabbed her, and gently eased her to the floor. She was staring at him, trying to fight back the darkness that was swallowing her sight. _No! This is not how this is supposed to end! _Her conscious screamed. _Fight it, dammit! You're stronger than this!_

"Bane?" Kali gasped, her whole body trembling as she fought the toxin.  
She knew this toxin. One of her trainers was an expert in poisons, and she had been forced to experience the effects of many. She had been given a deadly dose. Once she was unconscious, she would be dead within minutes.

"No. Talia. She needed Bane focused on the Bat." He said quietly.

She noticed he was pulling something out of his coat pocket, but her vision was too dim to quite make it out. Suddenly, a sharp pain hit her in the thigh. A warm sensation began to spread slowly from that spot.

"However, she did not take into consideration that I care more for Bane than I ever did her. And, I kind of like you." Barsad said, rubbing up and down her arms to keep her circulation moving. "I've given you an antidote. It will slowly kill off the toxin before it does any real damage. It's also going to convince Talia you are dead. She's going to stop here in about ten minutes to confirm you are dead. So, I need you to trust me and go to sleep."

Kali noted her vision had already slightly cleared. She looked into Barsad's eyes. She nodded. A moment later she closed her eyes and let the warmth that had spread through her pull her under.

Talia slipped into the building Barsad had marked, making sure no one saw her. After all, "Miranda" was being held captive by Bane's men. Barsad was waiting, leaning against the front desk, playing with his sniper rifle. He nodded his head in the direction of the lounge without looking up. Talia approached Kali's body, which had been placed on one of the over plush couches.

Talia placed a hand gently against the cool neck of the girl, who must have died only moments ago. She waited. No pulse. She turned back to Barsad and sighed.

"She was killed by a mob of citizens. He must not know unless it becomes imperative." She ordered firmly.

With that, she quickly departed, back to City Hall where she "Miranda" was being held hostage. Barsad waited a moment before returning to Kali's side. She would be asleep for at least a half hour more as the antidote destroyed the poison. He began working her arms and legs to get her pulse strong again, and then left a hand gun with her. This was all he could do. Bane needed him now.

The rumors of the police had reached Bane just as he reached City Hall. He sent his men to gather all of his followers, for one last glorious fight before the city burned to ash. Talia had resumed her roll as Miranda, and stood back with two guards, watching as his followers gathered. The Bat would come, and he would be ready.

Now, his eyes searched the crowds and street beyond for Kali, who would surely have heard the news by now. Barsad, who Talia had sent on a similar mission to Kali's, appeared through the crowd and came to his side, looking around approvingly.

"Have you seen her while you were out?" Bane asked curiously.

"I saw her once. She's probably on her way here now, she was farther out than I was." Barsad replied.

A moment later and the first spotting was made. A wave of men in uniform slowly made their way to them. A last glorious spilling of blood. Bane continued to look for Kali, hoping she would arrive before chaos broke loose. He waited until the very last moment, as the police got closer and closer. Then, he turned his attention to the mob.

"Kill them all."

Kali awoke slowly. Everything was warm, and sleep tried its hardest to drag her back down. She knew she needed to be awake now. She forced herself to sit up, feeling very stiff. Something clattered to the floor beside her. She looked down, blinking away the blur of sleep. A gun lay on the carpet beside her. Kali looked around rapidly, remembering everything. She quickly got up, checking the gun. Fully loaded. If she got the chance, she was going to have to remember to punch Barsad in the face.

She made her way down the streets toward City Hall, all too alarmed at how quiet it seemed. She didn't see anyone. Then, it reached her ears. The vibrations from a lot of gunfire. And soon she could hear it. She began to run, until she could see the mob ahead. A huge mass of flailing limbs and gunfire. Then she felt her heart stop for a moment. Bane was fighting the Bat. And, he was losing. The Bat had done something to his mask.

Kali knew getting to Bane would not be easy. The crowd was huge and thick and violent. Kali jumped right in, fighting her way left and right. However, the crowd kept dragging her away from Bane, away from where she needed to be. She was frustrated, furious, that she could not reach him. Then, suddenly, she felt pain.

She stopped her fighting and just stood there, trying to understand what had happened. She turned slowly. An inmate had grabbed her gun without her noticing. He held it, grinning ear to ear, as it remained pointed at her. His grin quickly disappeared when he realized who he'd shot. Kali had the gun from him and had snapped his neck in a second. She looked down at herself. Blood was slowly trickling out from under her shirt, yet she oddly did not feel much more than a sting. Three, to be exact. She wouldn't concern herself with that now. She turned back to City Hall, and felt dismay fill her.

Talia and Barsad were quickly leaving, heading to the armored car that waited. Bane was not with her. Was he finishing off the Bat himself? That couldn't be. Talia wanted Bruce Wayne dead more than anything else. Something was wrong. Kali made a few steps before she saw Barsad get shot down. Talia drove off without a second glance.

Kali finally found a hole and ran through it, stumbling at the base of the steps up into the building. She found Barsad. He'd only been hit once in the shoulder, the rest of the shots had been stopped by his vest. She carefully turned him onto his side to help him breath better, and looked up in time to see Selina Kyle on the Bat's bike. And she was shooting a missile into the building. Kali found herself unable to move as a few minutes later, after no explosion, the Bat and Selina came running out of the building. It could only mean one thing...

"No." Kali gasped.

She stumbled up the stairs, trying to ignore the fact her feet were not cooperating as much as they should be. She found she could hardly stand as she made her way through the broken glass doorway.

Bane was on his back, staring at the ceiling. He did not feel pain, thanks to his mask. Yet he knew there was no getting up from this. His ribs were undoubtedly shattered, and his back was more than likely broken. That was probably why he couldn't get up. He listened, waited. There was no way the Bat could stop the bomb in time. There was only minutes left. He closed his eyes, sighing. Where was Kali? Lost somewhere out in the fight? Had she tried to escape at the last moment? He would never know.

"Bane!"

He moved his head carefully to the side. Kali was running towards him. She looked hurt. Bane's thoughts were beginning to scramble. She dropped to her knees beside him, hands trembling as she reached out to him, not sure if she should touch him or not. He reached a hand out, clasping hers gently.

"It's over, my dear. In mere moments the city will be wiped away." He said with a smile.

"I don't care about the city anymore, Bane. I just... I thought you'd left me." She said, fighting back tears.

"Never. We'll go together." Bane breathed. He felt breathing was suddenly a struggle.

Kali cringed suddenly, hunching forward. Bane noticed blood was steadily making its way down her body. She carefully peeled up her black shirt to reveal three exit wounds over her torso. They were deadly. Not that it mattered now.

"It doesn't even hurt as much as I thought it would." She said with a slight laugh.

"It's because it more than likely hit your abdominal aorta. There's not enough blood in your veins to feed your nerves." Bane answered bluntly.

Kali let out a laugh, not sure why, but it felt good. She was feeling odd however, and decided that lying down was best at this point. She carefully lowered herself onto her side next to Bane, taking his hand into hers. He gently reached up to stroke her face.

"If things could be different, I would have married you." He said quietly.

A tear rolled down her cheek as she smiled.

"I would have liked that." She replied.

Bane could feel how cold she was already. How dim her eyes were getting. She may not make it tot he end, but that was ok with him. He wouldn't keep her waiting long, on the other side, wherever they were going.

"Bane..." She breathed, her voice suddenly gone from her. She moved in slightly closer, just enough so he could hear her whisper, "Never let me go."

"Never." Bane replied, managing to pull her tight against him. She clung to him, her body beginning to shake. "I love you." She whispered.

"I love you." Bane responded. Her felt her heart shudder, then stop. Her breath caressed his face one last time as those gorgeous green eyes shut.

Bane sobbed and held her, waiting for the fire to come, to take him to her, wherever she was waiting.

**Reviews please!**


	24. Dreams

**Disclaimer: Do not own Bane or any TDKR related shenanigans. Kali Blake is mine.**

_"Well hello dollface."  
_

The voice was hesitant, quiet, yet she knew it. He'd been talking to her for a long time now. Minimal conversations. A cool hand touching hers.

She had been coming to the surface more frequently, but it was uncomfortable there. She felt pain there, and uncertainty. But this time, she decided she would push further.

Her eyes cracked open, feeling like glue was holding them together. She hissed at the pain the lights above her caused. A few moments later she tried again, turning her horrifically heavy head tot he side this time.

"Welcome back."

Her father sat beside her in his usual clothing, minus the obnoxious purple coat. He looked exhausted. His makeup was smudged, and his eyes were severely blood shot. He looked worried. A coldness filled her, like she was being lowered into ice water.

"Bane?" She asked, terrified by how small and weak her voice was.

"He's fine."

"Where..." Kali's throat was so dry, she resisted the urge to cough.

Her father got up, and returned a moment later with a cup of water, and a straw. She took a few sips. The water felt foreign to her.

"Home. You've been asleep a long time."

"Home?" Kali asked, looking around her.

She was on a rather plush bed, and suddenly realized where she was. The house Bane had bought her. An IV dripped slowly next to her, along with a steady heart monitor. She tried sitting up, but the Joker pressed a hand to her shoulder.

"Best not to move until the doctor gets back. Don't want to damage all the work we've done to you." He said gently.

The heart monitor sky rocketed as images came flooding back. She had felt numb, but she knew she was dying. And Bane was dying too. She had... died.

She remembered staring up into the sky, with the warm sun flowing over her. And she remembered wild flowers raining down around her. She had been dead.

"Is Bane here?" She asked, trying to swallow the overwhelming sorrow she felt suddenly.

"Yes. He's been awake about a week. If you promise not to move, I'll go get him." The Joker said, giving her a stern look.

She nodded.

How could she possibly be alive? She didn't know much about the human body, other than to kill it. She knew her wounds had been utterly fatal. The aorta was impossible to repair once it had been damaged, especially by a gunshot. Kali had felt herself bleeding out inside. She couldn't be alive...

The door creaked open. Kali glanced up, and managed a small smile. Bane was wearing some kind of vest, more like a really large full upper body corset. He looked uncomfortable as he walked, and sat down slowly. He was not wearing his mask.

Kali did not know what to say. There was not supposed to be another day. No more wards to share. The end had not come.

"What happened?" Kali managed to say finally.

"The Bat got the bomb away from the city in time." Bane said, a harsh bitterness in his tone.

But then he smiled at her, his eyes crinkling at the edge. It was a wonderful smile, one she saw so rarely without the mask.

"Your father actually never went very far away, and when he found out our plan failed, he came back. He had found the doctors the League of Shadows uses for all of our advanced procedures, and they brought you back. You were only dead a few minutes. As I've been told, we have both had extensive surgeries. We've both been in induced comas for about two months now." He explained.

"The vest saved your life." Kali said, taking a few deep breaths. So she had been dead...

"We have some very fancy hardware in us now. You have a plastic aorta now, along with a lot of meddling with your internal organs. I have a complete metal rib cage. This contraption, " He motioned towards the odd vest-like article, "can come off in about a week."

Kali let out a laugh, and even though it hurt a little bit, it felt good.

"What about your mask?" She asked, looking at his face.

"The compound wore out faster than expected. However, the doctors were able to replicate a new one. I now have an implant that pumps it through my blood stream. The compound lasts much longer, and only needs to be replaced once a year. No more mask."

Kali smiled. They were both alive. By some miracle, they were alive.

"So... what now?" Kali asked, stretching her legs slightly. They felt terribly stiff.

Bane sighed heavily.

"Now... now my dear, we live the life we were meant to. We can travel the world, see everything there is to see. We can be together." Bane said, smiling slightly.

He leaned forward, and very gently kissed her. A cough interrupted them.

"Pardon the interruption. The doctor's here to examine Kali."

Bane smiled against her lips and stood.

"She's all yours." He said, and then the doctor, an older looking man with plenty of smile lines, appeared at her side.

Some time later and Kali was finally allowed to sit up, by herself. She felt sore, and stiff, and terribly weak, but moving felt good. With the Joker by her side, hands lightly on her shoulders just in case, she slowly stood up. She was wobbly, stiff, and being upright made her dizzy for a moment. Slowly, carefully, she made her way into the living room.

She sat on the couch, and the Joker suddenly let out a laugh that startled her. He went into the kitchen, and slid the repaired glass door open. Kali let out a squeal as a big black fur ball came flying at her, and suddenly Harley was licking her everywhere.

"He showed up about a month ago. Just came right up to the door and walked in. I assumed he must be yours, especially because he slept outside your door every night." The Joker said. "He's quite the handful."

Kali could tell her father had a lone-hate relationship towards Harley. It amused her. That day, the day everything was supposed to end, Kali had never dreamed she would be in her house, with her dog, Bane, and her father all at once. She never thought about anything after the end.

In its own twisted way, she had her happily ever after

**Reviews!**

**Yes, lovely readers, this story is finished. But aha! A sequal is in progress! So, thank you my lovely readers for your massive support and reviews. I'd like to thank GypsyWitchBaby, CLTex, atiketook, ZeeIternity, Book Finer, ElektraMackenizem sphalerite, and MarineLvr84 for your reviews, and everyone else, guests included! And yes, there shall be a sequel! Prologue here:**

Bane and Kali now have the life they'd always dreamed of. No end of the world shenanigans, no one trying to killing them, and no one to answer to. Yet, their dream life is not everything it seems. Bane still harbors a hatred for the Bat, and suffers from the loss of his beloved Talia, and his failure to destroy Gotham. Kali seems to be following the footsteps of her father, growing more and more unstable as her past haunts her, and the need to mkae the world pay grows. Can they survive their past?

Also, much humor and Kali/Bane. Let me know what you think! Keep an eye out, sequel coming soon!


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